Third Class Woman
by Maiika
Summary: A misunderstanding during a routine sparring session leads to Goku returning as a woman. The gang tries to turn female Goku back to normal, but it takes a while. What will happen during Goku's time as a woman, and how will it affect her greatest rival? Everyone true to character, Classic DB humor. Includes lemons mostly G/V with some B/V, G/CC.
1. Bewitched

Chapter 1-Bewitched

It was a peaceful afternoon on a little island occupied by a pink house. The inhabitants and their guests were enjoying a barbeque get-together. A smiling, diminutive man with short black hair manned the grill while an adorable blond girl in pigtails played by the shoreline with a sea turtle. An old man in sunglasses lounged in a chaise with a book in hand, enjoying one of his favorite pastimes. Within the house, the rest of the attendees were enjoying the TV and socializing.

Two figures approached the island from the skies, the two men on the beach gazing up as they sensed the approach. They concurrently cocked an eyebrow of confusion as they recognized their green Namekian friend accompanied by a woman they had never seen before. The pair landed on the beach, one strolling into the house wordlessly while the other gave a friendly wave and a smile as she quickly followed the other into the house. The men on the beach watched them enter the house, then exchanged a glance. The one at the grill returned to his duties, taking a look at how those hamburgers were coming along, while the other resumed his reading. Both repeatedly glanced towards the house in curiosity, debating whether to follow them inside and find out just what was going on, and who that woman was. Inside the house, the new arrivals were greeted by the pig, the flying cat, and the black-haired ex-fighter who were lounged around the television.

"Piccolo, I thought you were sparring with Goku?" The scar-faced man asked with a curious expression as he checked out the new guest. She was certainly a looker. Her shoulder-length black hair was a bit spiky and jagged-looking, but it had a sort of rocker-style vibe. Her face was flawless, her big black eyes attractive, and that body! The man smirked and gave her a nod, as the woman frowned cluelessly at him. Piccolo frowned towards the man, clearly disturbed by the entire interaction. "What?" He asked the Namekian defensively. Piccolo crossed his arms.

"We _were_ sparring. Goku had…an accident." Piccolo grumbled. The two men from the beach immediately shot through the front door in alarm.

"Goku had an accident? Where is he? Is he okay?" They both rattled off the questions as Piccolo stared back exasperatedly.

"One question at a time!" Piccolo yelled, immediately ending the tirade of questions. The woman suddenly gasped in surprise as the old man yelled out in pain and flew into the wall.

"Ow…ow…ow…ow…" The old man muttered from the hole his body had created from the force of the elbow he just received.

"Master Roshi! I'm so sorry!" The woman apologized, looking apologetic and completely uncomfortable at the same time. "I just…didn't expect that." She complained, frowning deeply as she rubbed her backside self-consciously and shuddered.

"It's okay." Master Roshi responded with a dizzied and pained expression and slight smile as he crawled out of the wall slowly. "But you pack quite a punch, young lady. You must be a fighter!" Master Roshi said with clear amazement and disbelief as he rubbed his swollen cheek. The woman smiled broadly.

"Yes! Of course I'm a fighter." She laughed. The other men in the room, still completely confused and without answers about Goku, glanced at each other, then returned their attention to Piccolo.

"Piccolo, how could you leave Goku alone when he had an accident? What happened to him?" The shorter man said, clear anxiety in his voice as he thought the worst of what might have happened to his friend.

"I didn't leave Goku, Krillin." Piccolo growled with a pointed nod towards the woman. The others looked around the room, clearly not understanding Piccolo's communication.

"Then where is he?" The short man finally asked.

"Right here." The woman said with a sheepish smile, waving her hand in the air.

"I don't get it. Did he shrink? Is he in your pocket or something?" Krillin asked, smiling mockingly at the woman as he expected some ridiculous explanation from her.

"Yeah." Piccolo chuckled. "He could only be so lucky. I'm sure he knows how to handle being shrunk."

"Krillin…" Master Roshi said slowly with a serious expression set on his face as he absorbed Piccolo's information and used his senses to find Goku's ki, "Piccolo is telling us this woman _is _Goku." All parties set their eyes on the woman, scrutinizing her doubtfully. Mouths dropped in shock all at once as they processed the possibility of it.

"Well, that would explain the strange attire." The tall scarred man said, scratching the back of his neck as he observed the very-loose and much too long orange and blue gi that the woman wore, which he initially thought was eerily similar to Goku's usual clothing. The woman scratched the back of her head, looking uncomfortable as all eyes were on her, then sniffed the air and smiled with satisfaction.

"Krillin, I think those burgers are ready. Can you get me some? I'm starving!" She exclaimed as she rubbed her stomach.

"G-Goku?" Krillin asked, his eyes bulging as he finally recognized the personality of his lifelong friend in this woman. Goku nodded furiously, answering as quickly as possible to get those burgers.

"Yeah, sure." Krillin gulped as he walked past Goku to head for the grill, wordlessly eyeing the woman all the way out the door.

If there were any doubts remaining about the identity of the woman, they were long extinguished by the end of that meal. No one, besides perhaps the Saiyan Prince, could match that appetite but Goku. Goku rubbed her stomach in satisfaction and leaned back in her chair, all others staring at her in shock.

"How did this happen?" Krillin finally blurted, completely flabbergasted.

"We were training in a deserted mountain region. We got careless with the landscape, because we were sure there was no one around." Piccolo explained as all eyes fixated on him with their full attention. "There was an old, abandoned house on one of the mountains. It's been there for decades. I'm familiar with the area because I go there often to meditate. I've never seen anyone there, and we couldn't sense any presence in the house." Master Roshi nodded thoughtfully, stroking his beard.

"But there was someone in the house." Master Roshi surmised. Piccolo nodded.

"I kinda…blew it up with a stray ki blast. The old lady flew out just in time." Goku admitted guiltily. Piccolo patted Goku's shoulder comfortingly.

"Don't blame yourself, Goku. It could have been me just as easily." Piccolo consoled.

"So how does that explain Goku becoming a woman?" The scarred man finally asked.

"The old lady was a witch, like Baba." Goku said, nodding towards Roshi as he indicated his sister. "She kinda…put some sorta spell on me." Goku said with a shrug.

"She turned you into a woman because you blew up her house?" Yamcha asked incredulously. Goku and Piccolo nodded.

"Actually, she put the spell on _us_. But, seeing that my species is asexual, it really hasn't affected me." Piccolo said smugly. Goku looked at Piccolo with something between a pout and a glare. She leaned forward with her elbows on the table, not realizing the tasty view she was giving to the men in front of her as her loose gi slid down her chest.

"I didn't know what the spell was supposed to do, but I tried to explain things to her, offer to fix her house. But she just disappeared before I could say anything. Poof!" Goku explained, jumping in her seat and throwing her hands up in demonstration of the 'poof'. Master Roshi, Oolong and Yamcha grinned broadly at the motion, enjoying the way Goku's chest bounced.

"How was it that she disappeared again, Goku?" Oolong asked with a lecherous smile. Piccolo placed a heavy hand on a surprised Goku's shoulder before she could repeat the motion, glaring warningly towards the three oglers sitting in front of his friend.

"Krillin!" Came a feminine voice from upstairs, as footprints could be heard padding down the steps. "Who is watching Maron?" The blond woman asked from the stairs as she came into view and scoured the living room to find all parties accounted for inside.

"Uh…" Krillin said nervously as he glanced outside.

"Unbelievable!" The woman exclaimed as she headed towards the door to retrieve her daughter. "You just left her alone out there?"

"Turtle is with her, 18! He wouldn't let anything happen to Maron!" Krillin exclaimed with relief as he realized he did not technically leave his daughter alone. His wife was already outside, and either did not hear him, or chose to ignore him. Krillin was certain it was the latter. 18 walked back inside with Maron in her arms, cooing fondly to her daughter before glancing towards the table surrounded by the others.

"Who's that?" 18 asked as her eyes set on Goku.

"Hey, 18. It's me. Goku." The woman said with familiarity. 18 cocked an eyebrow in disbelief, and glanced at the others for confirmation or arguments. They all nodded in agreement, to her surprise, and she smirked with amusement.

"Yeah, sure." She said with a shrug.

"Hey, 18! Could you lend Goku some clothes?" Krillin asked, sounding like a child asking a parent for permission. "He…" Krillin shook his head with a perplexed expression, having trouble comprehending using the other pronoun to describe his friend. "She doesn't have anything else to wear, and I really think she needs something a little more appropriate." Krillin said as he cast a reproachful eye on Master Roshi and Oolong, who continued staring at Goku's partially exposed chest. 18 glanced at the scenario with amusement, then gave a permissive nod.

"Alright. Come on, _Goku_." She said as she headed for the stairs.

"Aww, do I really have to wear women's clothes?" Goku complained as she reluctantly began to follow 18. "18, can you give me something comfortable to wear? Women's clothing doesn't look comfortable." Goku and 18 ascended the stairs until they disappeared from the view of the others.

"Wow." Yamcha finally said after a long silence. Piccolo only nodded in agreement, while the others remained stunned silent.

"We came here first because we thought if we asked your sister, there'd be something she could do about this." Piccolo said to Master Roshi. "But she won't be able to help, will she?" Master Roshi nodded solemnly. He had been thinking about the same thing since the problem was mentioned.

"My sister is just a glorified fortune teller. She has no powers like that, Piccolo. She might know someone who knows something, but she'd have to go through a lot of channels before she could make a difference. And knowing my sister, she'd take her time about it. The unreliable old bag." Master Roshi remarked resentfully as he glanced up the stairs thoughtfully.

"Maybe Bulma can help!" The flying cat squeaked excitedly. The others turned to face her, and Krillin and Yamcha smiled brightly.

"Yeah! That's a great idea, Puar!" Yamcha said. "Bulma should be able to work something out!" A commotion was heard upstairs, and everyone glanced towards the ceiling curiously.

"What do you think she's going to wear?" Oolong asked with a perverted smile.

"I can't believe you guys are checking out Goku. I mean, it's _Goku_." Yamcha said, scowling as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Yamcha." Puar said reproachfully. "I saw you looking, too. You really should all be ashamed of yourselves." Puar scolded the three guilty parties. Yamcha blushed brightly and scowled, refusing to respond to Puar's accusation.

"You really are good. Tell me, how difficult was it to steal one of Goku's gis?" 18's voice could be heard descending the stairs, and the men stopped talking to listen to her conversation.

"I…didn't." Goku responded honestly. 18 chuckled.

"Okay, I am impressed with how incredibly strong you are. You must have trained like crazy in order to convince these guys that you really are Goku." 18 still had Maron in her arms, and Goku followed in a pair of flat boots, red cargo pants, and a fitted white tank top. Oolong and Master Roshi frowned in disappointment, as Piccolo and Puar smiled in approval.

"…Not really." Goku responded with a shrug, looking very confused. She turned to Piccolo, noting that the Namek was standing and had a look of determination. "Piccolo! Where are we headed?" Goku asked excitedly, knowing the Namekian had something in mind.

"Capsule Corporation. It seems Bulma might be able to fix something up for you. Baba is a dead end, Goku." Piccolo informed gravely. Goku frowned for only a moment, then smiled at Piccolo.

"Alright, let's go then." She said cheerily. Krillin placed a hand on Goku's shoulder, a solemn expression on his face.

"Goku, I'm really sorry this happened to you. This must be really bizarre for you." Krillin said seriously. Goku waved him off.

"It'll be alright, Krillin. I'm sure I'll be back to my old self soon. Until then, this won't be a big deal." Goku crossed her arms and looked pensively towards the ceiling. "I'm not sure how well I can fight in this body, though. My power level feels about the same, but my movements will probably be completely different. I'll need to do some training." Goku smiled with determination, seemingly happy with the new challenge.

"Goku, are you ready?" Piccolo asked impatiently as he headed towards the door.

"Yeah, Piccolo!" Goku replied, quickly stepping by Piccolo's side. "But let's do it this way." She said as she reached for Piccolo's shoulder, frowning as she had to settle for his shoulder blade with her limited height. "It'll be faster." She said as she placed two fingers to her forehead and disappeared with one last wink at her other friends. The others stood in the room, staring at the empty air where Piccolo and Goku just disappeared from.

"Damn! That really was Goku!" 18 exclaimed in astonishment. The others nodded dully. This was certainly going to be interesting. They could only hope that Bulma could help.


	2. She's A Knockout

She's A Knockout

"I don't know, Trunks. Do you really think it'll work?" A young boy asked hesitantly as he stood with his lavender-haired friend on the green grass outside Capsule Corporation. They hid behind a wall, observing someone around the corner as they considered Trunks' idea.

"Of course it will, Goten. Now, since you're the youngest, you'll go first." Trunks insisted with a light shove, exposing his friend from behind the wall. Goten frowned fearfully as he frantically searched for some other form of hiding. He and Trunks both jumped when two figures instantaneously appeared next to them. They were used to the sensation of the sudden appearance, but it still made them jump. They were especially jumpy when they were being conniving.

"Hey, Dad!" Goten exclaimed quickly, turning with a forced innocent smile to face the new arrivals. He frowned deeply and contorted his face into one of deep confusion as he comprehended what he saw. "Piccolo? Who...is…that?" Piccolo frowned deeply and immediately placed a hand in front of his companion's face just as she was about to respond. Piccolo leaned into his companion to whisper something while Trunks and Goten exchanged a look. "How do you think they did that?" Goten asked his friend.

"I don't know." Trunks whispered with a suspicious scowl as he studied the whispering pair of adults.

"Goku, why did you bring us to the children?" Piccolo whispered with animosity, not at all enjoying being put on the spot with this situation. Everyone knew Goku was the only one of their friends who could perform such a technique. As far as Piccolo knew, Goku would not want his son knowing about his transformation.

"I sensed them here, and wanted to see the kids before we talk to Bulma." Goku answered innocently, obviously not bothering to consider the implications of their method of arrival.

"Maybe you want to lay low while you look like that." Piccolo suggested, raising his brows meaningfully. Goku stared blankly at him, and Piccolo groaned. It was obvious that Goku did not see the problem Piccolo was seeing here.

"Hey!" Trunks said demandingly, irritated at being forced to wait. "How did you get here? I thought only Goku could do instantaneous movement?" He asked as he pointed an accusing finger at the pair. Goku and Piccolo separated, and Piccolo responded hurriedly before Goku might say something she'd regret.

"Goku's been teaching me. I did it." Piccolo said in a tone that told the kids the topic was not up for debate. Trunks looked suspicious as he studied the Namekian, but Goten immediately jumped up in excitement.

"Cool! You can do it, too? That's great, Piccolo!" Goten cheered enthusiastically as Goku smiled at her adorable son. She furrowed her brows in confusion as she wondered what her sons were supposed to call her now. Goten suddenly stopped jumping and frowned with a perturbed expression on his face. "But…why did he teach it to _you_?"

"Yeah! If he's going to teach anyone the instantaneous movement, it should really be my father. He's wasting his efforts if he doesn't teach it to the strongest person he can." Trunks bragged proudly. Piccolo growled angrily at the children, refusing to engage any further in that conversation.

"Where is your mother, Trunks?" Piccolo asked brusquely. Goten opened his mouth to answer, but Trunks put a hand on Goten's chest, indicating for him to hold off.

"First, who is she?" Trunks asked, pointing blatantly at Goku. Goku smiled and opened her mouth to speak again, but Piccolo glared at her warningly, causing her to back down. Goku crossed her arms and assumed a pout as she was really getting tired of Piccolo shushing her. She tapped her foot impatiently. She didn't see what the big deal was, anyways.

"This is a friend of your mother's. I brought her here for some important business. Your mother's expecting her, Trunks. If she doesn't arrive soon, I'm sure your mother will be very angry with you." Piccolo threatened, knowing the boy's fear of his mother was an easy weakness to exploit. Trunks' eyes widened as he gulped and nodded dutifully. Piccolo smirked with satisfaction as Trunks and Goten finally divulged Bulma's whereabouts in her lab.

Goku waved to Goten and Trunks as they reassumed their position behind the wall. She observed them suspiciously as she wondered just what kind of mischief they were up to. She shrugged it off as Piccolo walked with a determined pace into Capsule Corporation, and she needed to catch up to meet with Bulma.

"So, I can tell Bulma who I am, right Piccolo?" Goku asked as they walked, still confused about Piccolo's reasoning for hiding her identity from the children. Piccolo groaned.

"How else do you expect her to help, Goku?" Piccolo growled as they descended the stairs leading to the lab.

"Oh. So what was wrong with telling Trunks and Goten?" Goku asked.

"I don't know if you really want your family knowing about this." Piccolo glanced at Goku from the corner of his eye as he paused. "Your _whole_ family." Piccolo added pointedly. A few steps later, Goku stopped and screamed. Piccolo cringed and covered his ears as he turned back to look at the woman, who seemed bothered by the unexpectedly shrill sound as well.

"I can't let Chi-Chi see me like this! She'll kill me!" Goku exclaimed as she raised both hands to her head, clenching her hair in desperation. Piccolo chuckled, though he did feel guilty for finding it amusing. It was probably true. "We need to get Bulma to fix this fast!" Goku exclaimed as she sped down the stairs, her appearance melting into nothing but a flash of colors. Piccolo huffed and followed Goku's trail, continuing his walking pace as he knew there was no rush to meet up with Goku.

Piccolo could not have possibly missed Goku. But that did not mean he was going to catch up. The sound of two women shouting and whining at one another kept him at bay. It was obvious that Goku found Bulma. From the sounds of things, Bulma was not happy to see the unfamiliar visitor.

"Bulma, please!" Goku pleaded from down the hall.

"I don't know who you think you are lady, but you better get out of my labs before I call security!" Bulma threatened.

"I told you, I'm Goku!" Goku responded with exasperation. "You have to believe me!" Piccolo rolled his eyes and decided he didn't have time for this.

"Alright, Goku!" Piccolo shouted down the hall. "Bulma can take it from here. I'm leaving now!" He had no intention of coming between the face off, and knew Goku could hear him from this distance. The women silenced as they heard Piccolo's words and his footsteps padding down the hall.

"See?" Goku said after a moment. "It really is me!" Piccolo heard a dubious groan of one woman, followed by a heavy sigh of the other. Then he heard the roar of Goku's voice, and felt her ki rise drastically. He glanced over his shoulder to see a golden glow down the hall. He chuckled as he heard Bulma finally gasp in realization.

"You're a…Super Saiyan." Bulma said quietly, but not so quietly that his Namekian hearing could not pick it up. "Goku?" Bulma asked, her voice still heavily tinged with doubt. Piccolo grunted his approval that Goku could take it from here as he headed out. He'd check back later to see if Goku was back to himself.

Bulma and Goku stood in the kitchen, talking. She told Bulma she needed something to eat before they got started in the lab, and Bulma had reluctantly agreed, knowing she would need reinforcements in order to draw blood from Goku. It was a necessary procedure if she was going to make any headway in changing him…her back. Even then, she highly doubted she could counteract magic with science. She observed her friend curiously and scientifically as she marveled at the amazing differences. Bulma rested her elbow on the counter, her chin on her hand, when she couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"So, Goku." Goku glanced up from her plate of food as Bulma smiled with a big, toothy grin. "How does it feel to have boobs?" Bulma asked as she tried to contain her laughter at Goku's confounded expression.

"Don't you know already? You do have a pair of your own, you know." Goku responded innocently, nodding towards Bulma's chest. Bulma rolled her eyes.

"I meant for you. You know...since you never had them before?" Bulma raised her eyebrows and inclined her head towards Goku, searching for a juicy answer. She groaned in disappointment at Goku's blank look. Apparently becoming female hadn't changed the way Goku's brain worked. "Alright, there are some things you should know about being female. You may be stuck like this for a while, Goku." Goku's mouth dropped in shock.

"What?! Bulma, what are we going to tell my family?" Goku fretted.

"Why don't you just go home and tell them what happened?" Bulma asked with an indifferent shrug.

"Bulma, just imagine what Chi-Chi would do when I come home as a woman." Goku said with big, fearful eyes. Bulma met Goku's eyes with a blank expression, then gasped as she imagined Chi-Chi's reaction.

"You're right. You better not go home like that. You can stay here for the time being, if you want." Bulma offered. Goku nodded, readily accepting the offer. But she still worried about Chi-Chi.

"Woman!" A voice bellowed furiously as a door to the outside swung open. "Trunks is grounded for the rest of his life! And when I see that fool, Kakarot, I'm going to have him punish his son in front of me, to make sure both of those brats pay for what they just did!"

Bulma and Goku stared wide-eyed as the Prince of all Saiyans walked into the kitchen. He was soaking wet and glaring furiously, his pants torn from the knees down and his feet bare as he carried his water-logged white boots. Bulma and Goku stifled their laughter, the endless possibilities of Trunks and Goten's shenanigans causing their imaginations to run wild. They both knew when he was ready to blow. This was definitely one of those moments. Vegeta took another step forward, slipping on the tiled floor in a humorous near fall as Goku lost control and burst out laughing at her rival. Vegeta growled furiously as Bulma joined in, and Vegeta quickly approached the counter where they both sat, slapping it hard to gain their attention. This broke Bulma from her laughter, sobering her in an instant as she caught Vegeta's furious eyes inches from her face.

"Vegeta! We have company!" She said as she inclined her head towards Goku. "Act civilized." Bulma winked at Goku, hoping that she would play along. Vegeta observed Goku carefully, as if he had just realized she was there. He sniffed, a pleased expression crossing his face as he appreciated the scent in the air.

"Hello." Vegeta said cordially to Goku, sending Bulma a malicious smirk. "I'm Vegeta." Goku laughed light-heartedly.

"I know." She said, as Vegeta turned surprised, then glanced at Bulma.

"So, Bulma's been talking about me." Vegeta leaned forward with his elbow rested on the counter, all discomfort of his current disheveled state forgotten. Goku continued smiling at Vegeta, beginning to feel awkward at receiving any look from the other Saiyan that was this nice. It felt like some bizarre, alternate reality. Bulma picked up on the look as well, knowing Vegeta was looking to make her jealous in an attempt at payback for being laughed at. She smirked as she decided to bait him.

"Are you flirting with my friend, Vegeta?" Bulma asked accusingly.

"What if I was? Nothing wrong with looking, right? We both know _you_ have no restraint in that matter." Vegeta spat before drawing his attention back to Goku. "Besides, if you don't want me noticing other women, you shouldn't ask me to be civilized to your attractive friends." He added with a smirk as he looked at both women, who exchanged a glance.

"So, you think my friend is attractive. Is she more attractive than me?" Bulma asked competitively as Goku frowned. This seemed like dangerous territory to her.

"Yes. She smells better, too." Vegeta responded instantly and rebelliously. A startled expression suddenly crossed his face, and he looked closely at Goku. "Bulma..." Vegeta's expression became perplexed, almost disturbed as he stared at Goku.

"Yes, Vegeta? See something you recognize?" Bulma taunted, thinking that somehow Vegeta knew it was Goku. Not that she could imagine how that was possible, but Saiyans did seem to have much more powerful senses than humans. Goku paled as Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her. "Bulma, this woman is a Saiyan!" Vegeta exclaimed in amazement. Bulma laughed loudly, as Goku and Vegeta both stared at each other warily, neither one amused.

Goku was incredibly uncomfortable under Vegeta's scrutiny and just wanted to tell him who she was already. Vegeta could not wrap his mind around finally meeting a female Saiyan. They had all been dead since he was a child, and the few he crossed before finding himself on Frieza's ship were from such minute encounters that he could not even remember them. But he remembered certain qualities, qualities that Earth women did not possess. And this woman had them. Like that scent, that alluring scent that was nothing like the fabricated perfumes Earthlings sprayed on themselves. Those were too strong and obnoxious. Vegeta demanded years ago that Bulma get rid of hers, as they gave him headaches. He preferred her natural scent, which was pleasant and clean. But it wasn't like this.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Vegeta finally demanded, frustrated with not knowing.

"Vegeta, it's me!" Goku answered demandingly, though her insistence was useless in clearing up the woman's identity to Vegeta. Vegeta stared blankly at the woman, expecting her to elaborate on her identity. When she only continued to stare at him as if she expected him to recognize her, he turned his attention to Bulma.

"Bulma, is this woman some sort of an idiot?" Vegeta asked blandly, starting Bulma laughing again. Goku frowned at Bulma's amusement. She sighed exasperatedly, then took Vegeta's hand that laid on the counter in front of her, placing two fingers to her forehead. Talking was overrated.

She locked onto Piccolo's energy, knowing he was a safe person to see. Once she arrived with a shocked Vegeta in an open field next to Piccolo and Gohan, she frowned deeply and immediately locked on to Bulma's energy, teleporting them back in a futile attempt at pretending Gohan hadn't just seen her. She didn't miss Piccolo rolling his eyes in the short moment they were there, and she was certain that Gohan would be coming to see her with questions soon.

Vegeta, Goku and Bulma stood in the kitchen, Bulma watching the two with interest while Goku focused intently on Vegeta, who was processing everything that just happened. Bulma flicked a questioning glance to Goku after a few minutes, not certain what just happened when they disappeared, though she knew they weren't gone long enough for much to happen. Goku shrugged at Bulma, still uncertain if Vegeta was going to say anything, or if he even knew who she was yet. Suddenly, they heard a strangled gasp from Vegeta, who was slowly stepping back with a look of disgust on his face.

"Vegeta?" Bulma asked warily as she stepped toward him with an outreached hand.

"Vegeta…" Goku said as she crossed her arms and stood in place, frowning as the prince backed away from her.

"You!" Vegeta yelled, pointing a shaking finger at Goku. "You can't be…" Vegeta shook his head fervently, as if this was all a bad nightmare that would go away if he refused to believe it. But that beautiful woman stepped closer to him, and he smelled her again, and he cringed, disgusted with himself as he forced himself to push her away. Vegeta accepted Bulma's outstretched hand, pulling her into his arms tightly like a security blanket. He eyed Goku dangerously as she frowned and took a step closer, an unamused expression on her face.

"What are you so upset about? I'm the one who was turned into a woman." Goku complained lightly as she placed her hands on her hips and eyed Vegeta, who was behaving like a cornered rabid animal. Vegeta groaned and turned away, unable to look at her now that she confirmed his fears.

"Vegeta, it's okay. I'm going to find a way to turn Goku back to normal." Bulma said, reaching a hand to Vegeta's face to palm his cheek. "It'll just take a little time. And…I need you to do me a favor before I can start making any progress." Vegeta looked at Bulma, one eyebrow raised as she whispered something to him. He smirked and looked at Goku, releasing Bulma from his grasp as he nodded to her. Goku whimpered, knowing whatever Bulma just said must have been very bad for her. Vegeta was approaching her now, after being so adamant about staying away. And he looked evil.

"Vegeta, what are you doing?" Goku asked fearfully as she raised her hands defensively. In a sudden movement, Vegeta's hand shot forward to land a hard hit to her gut, which Goku quickly blocked. What she did not foresee was that the attack was only intended as misdirection from the other hand Vegeta was already planting against the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.


	3. The Woman Stays

"What were you able to determine from the blood samples, Bulma?" A black-haired teenager in uniform asked as a group of people sat in a Capsule Corporation Lab. Bulma sat in front of a computer in her lab coat, her hair messed and eyes reddened, obviously stressed and fatigued from hours of work. And Gohan's appearance in the lab in the last hour hadn't helped their progress much.

"I've determined that Saiyan blood has many similarities to human blood. I compared Goku's sample to Vegeta's blood as well as samples of human female blood, and there is one major problem with this whole thing." Bulma rubbed her forehead and looked to her father, who sat next to her, closely observing something in a microscope.

"Which is...?" Gohan asked slowly, his anxiety increased with Bulma's reluctance to elaborate.

"Which is," the older man said as he looked away from the microscope to meet Gohan's eyes, "Goku's chromosomes are abnormal." He shrugged and frowned lightly as he spoke, looking to his daughter. Bulma frowned back at her father, looking rather hopeless.

"Abnormal?" Asked a deep, level voice from the perimeter of the room. "What kind of abnormality are you talking about?" The tall man asked as he stepped forward, resting a supportive hand on Gohan's shoulder.

"Well," Bulma began as she rested her forearm on the counter and spun in her stool to face Gohan and Piccolo, "I'm sure you know something about DNA from high school, right?" Gohan nodded. "So, generally, a female has two X chromosomes while a male has an X and a Y. Vegeta has an XY, so we know it works the same with Saiyans. But Goku's blood has an X paired with something we've never seen before."

"It really is bizarre!" Dr. Briefs interjected with scientific fascination.

"It might be the norm for female Saiyans, or maybe it was caused by the spell that witch did. Without a baseline to compare this to, I really can't tell. That pretty much leaves us at a dead end with the DNA. I could have found a way to rearrange the chromosomes for Goku to get his XY back, but I don't understand the magic stuff." Bulma complained bitterly, with obvious reluctance to admit her lack of understanding.

"If we try to give Goku XY chromosomes, the magic could counteract that and nothing would change." Dr. Briefs suggested. "Or, the two opposing forces of science and magic could make something terrible and catastrophic happen." Dr. Briefs chewed on his cigarette and patted the head of the little black kitty on his shoulder. "It would be interesting to see what happens."

"Interesting?!" Gohan exclaimed incredulously. "You can't let anything terrible happen to my dad!" Gohan yelled at Bulma.

"It's a little late for that." Piccolo remarked, nodding towards the unconscious woman laid out on a hospital bed in the lab.

"I mean anything else terrible." Gohan said with a frown, staring at the woman who used to be his father. Well, she still was, but she wasn't. As Gohan watched, Goku began to stir from her sleep, her eyes slowly fluttering open. "Dad!" Gohan exclaimed loudly and excitedly. Goku jumped at the sudden, loud exclamation, hitting her head on a metal beam that hovered feet above the hospital bed.

"Ow!" Goku exclaimed, closing her eyes tight and rubbing her sore head as she sat on the bed. Gohan grimaced remorsefully.

"Sorry, Dad." Gohan said as he stepped by the bedside and Goku turned her attention to him.

"Gohan?" Goku asked warily before fearfully looking around the room to see who else was there. She breathed a visible sigh of relief, and Piccolo and Bulma chuckled.

"Your wife still doesn't know about this, Goku." Piccolo reassured her. Gohan's face suddenly became stern as he looked down at his father on the table.

"But you should tell her, Dad." He said sternly, surprising everyone in the room.

"What?!" Goku asked him with an alarmed expression.

"You've already been gone for a whole day. She's been asking where you are. Fortunately, it's normal for you to disappear without telling her where you're going, so she isn't too concerned...yet." Gohan scowled at his father, a clearly reproachful look, which Goku failed to notice.

"That's right! This is normal!" Goku said as she punched her fist in her other hand. "I'll hide out here until I'm back to myself. Then I can just apologize for disappearing again, and Chi-Chi won't be angry anymore!" Goku exclaimed triumphantly. Gohan groaned.

"No, Dad! That's not a good plan!" Gohan objected, balling his fists with frustration as Goku jumped off the table. The movement caused Goku to notice some bandages along her arm, and she stumbled as she landed, her knees weakening from nerves.

"What is _this_?!" Goku exclaimed as she stared at the bandages, holding her stomach and panting as if she would be sick.

"What do you think it is? Honestly, Goku." Bulma scolded, standing from her stool and placing her hands on her hips. "It's over already. You were unconscious for the whole thing. You didn't have to see a single needle." Goku's face paled, and Bulma seized the moment to approach Goku and yank off the bandages. Goku screamed in pain at the sudden ripping, but sighed in relief once she saw her quickly healed arms with no visible signs of needle marks.

"Oh, that's much better. Thanks, Bulma!" She said cheerfully, smiling brightly at the others who were still holding their ears from that ear piercing scream.

"You're welcome, I guess." Bulma muttered. "Gohan." Gohan turned to look at Bulma, alerted by her sudden address. "We won't be able to do anything for your Dad in the lab. It's too risky." Bulma's very serious expression made Gohan and Goku both frown in disappointment.

"I can talk to Dende. Maybe there's something he can do with his healing ability, or some other options he may know of." Piccolo offered.

"Thanks, Piccolo." Gohan said, smiling fondly at his old mentor. Piccolo nodded, wasting no time as he turned to leave the room.

"Hey, Piccolo!" Goku called before Piccolo reached the door. "Say hi to Dende and Mr. Popo for us." Piccolo smiled and nodded, before he turned to leave again, hurrying his way out of Capsule Corporation. Goku, Gohan, Bulma and Dr. Briefs all wordlessly looked at each other for a few minutes, the silence stretching as they tried to conjure other ideas.

"Hey! What about the Dragonballs?" Goku asked excitedly. The others immediately frowned.

"Goku, we just wished for the Earth's memories of Buu to be erased two months ago. The Dragonballs won't be active again for another ten months." Bulma said, crossing her arms and shaking her head dejectedly.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Goku slumped in disappointment. She suddenly perked up, looking around in curiosity. "Where's Vegeta?"

"He's out in the gravity room, training Trunks and Goten." Bulma said with concern. "I just hope he's not being too hard on those boys after that incident yesterday." Bulma muttered, glaring in the direction of the yard containing the gravity room.

"You think Vegeta might hurt them?" Gohan asked protectively. Goku and Bulma immediately laughed it off.

"Of course not!" Bulma said, waving her hand dismissively in the air. Gohan did not appear convinced, though. His expression remained concerned.

"I'm going to go...check on them." Gohan said before turning to leave the room. He spun around before leaving, as if he almost forgot something. "Dad! The way this is going, you may be stuck as a woman for a while. I meant what I said earlier. You need to tell Mom." Gohan stared into his father's eyes, communicating just how important this was to him. Goku gulped nervously, but nodded in agreement. She didn't think this was such a big deal at first, but for Chi-Chi, it would be.

"How am I supposed to tell Chi-Chi?" Goku muttered worriedly after Gohan left the room. Bulma walked up to Goku, wrapping a supportive arm around her friend's shoulder.

* * *

"Dende." The younger Namekian turned at the sound of his name, not at all surprised by Piccolo's sudden appearance on the Lookout. He had been watching recent events on Earth, and knew Piccolo was on his way.

"Piccolo. I know why you're here." Dende met Piccolo's eyes, his serious expression meeting the always-serious face of the older man. "Of course, I don't understand your reasoning." Dende elaborated, his expression wary as he studied Piccolo. Piccolo smirked.

"I know you can't heal Goku back to normal." Piccolo relented, knowing Dende would know this all too well. "And most likely, there is nothing else you can do about this. I'm not even really concerned about Goku. It's not like he's hurt." Piccolo shrugged indifferently. "He's just a she. The importance their species places on gender is ridiculous if you ask me."

"Gender is very important for Humans…and Saiyans." Dende stated knowingly. "You know that, Piccolo. So why are you really here?" Dende raised his brows at Piccolo, flinching for just a moment as he sensed Mr. Popo appearing behind him as he emerged from the building on the lookout.

"Popo." Piccolo greeted curtly. The ebony man smiled and waved his greeting as he continued walking to meet the Namekians. Piccolo turned his attention to Dende, addressing his earlier question. "I had to tell Gohan I was doing something to help, didn't I?" Piccolo suggested smugly.

"So that's it? There's nothing else you can think of to make Goku normal again?" Dende asked, his face ridden with astonishment.

"There's always the Dragonballs." Piccolo said indifferently, his arms crossed as he turned to gaze over the edge of the Lookout. Mr. Popo stepped next to Piccolo, frowning as he followed Piccolo's gaze.

"But, Piccolo, that will take so long. Do you think Goku can wait that long?" Mr. Popo asked with concern.

"Why not? Goku hasn't lost any power. There really is no harm in him being different for a year. What's the worst that could happen?" Piccolo asked. Dende and Mr. Popo glanced at one another and shrugged. Perhaps they should just let this go if there was really nothing they could do right now.


	4. Can She Handle The Truth?

"And this…is lipstick." Bulma said as she attempted to slide the colored tube along Goku's constantly-moving lips. "Would you hold still?!" Bulma fumed, scowling until her friend gently pushed Bulma's hand away from her face.

"Lipstick? You mean the stuff that makes you look sick?" Goku asked with a displeased expression. "Whyyyy are you doing this, Bulma? Chi-Chi hardly ever even puts that stuff on her face. I don't neeeeed it." Goku whined. This torment Bulma was putting her through was more painful than any beating she'd ever endured in a fight. At least Goku could understand the necessity of the undergarment thing and the menstruation lecture (though knowing all the intricate details of that would probably traumatize her for the rest of her male life). But this was just going too far. Bulma frowned at Goku and placed the lipstick back in the makeup case.

"Fine!" Bulma said as she crossed her arms. "I was just trying to teach you some style. Is that so bad?" Bulma pouted sadly, immediately making Goku feel guilty. "I've never had a best friend I could dress up like this, Goku. If you're going to be staying here, at least let me have some fun with you." Bulma smiled again as she saw Goku giving in, and happily grabbed the mascara wand, twisting off the cap. "Now, stay still!" She said as she reached for Goku's eyes, making her yell out fearfully and fall backwards as she pulled away.

Passing the room in the hall, another resident was drawn in by the commotion, doubling back and peering through the open doorway with amusement. He chuckled loudly at the sight of Bulma straddling the other woman, whose legs were kicking fiercely, and whose arms he could see splaying to the sides and waving frantically. The yelling stopped and Bulma paused at the sound of the laughter in the doorway. She turned her head, glancing over her shoulder to see her husband. She smirked at him, happy to have the chance to show off her work.

"Perfect timing, Vegeta." Bulma climbed off, allowing Goku to climb to her feet in a frazzled state. Goku looked down at her shirt as she brushed herself off and straightened her clothing before looking forward and meeting Vegeta's eyes. "How does she look?" Vegeta did not know how long it lasted, but he caught himself staring into those beautiful eyes. It wasn't the makeup, though Bulma seemed satisfied that her handiwork had caused his reaction. He quickly stopped himself, growling with irritation and scowling at the smiling woman before he turned his attention to Bulma.

"Bulma, why are you playing dress up with Kakarot?" Vegeta voiced with annoyance.

"Why not? I've already done everything I can for now to change her back. Might as well enjoy her like this for the time being. And come on! Look at her. I did a great job." Bulma said proudly, placing her hands on her hips and smiling at Goku.

"Hey, Vegeta, wanna spar?" Goku said excitedly, and hopefully. Anything to get away from Bulma would be great. She hadn't sparred since the change, and was really curious to see how she'd fare. Vegeta smirked, his eyes glinting with intrigue. He must have been thinking the same thing.

"Are you sure you're not too busy with your beauty lessons, Kakarot?" Vegeta mocked, enjoying the insulted look on Goku's face. Then Goku smirked, and Vegeta knew it was time to get serious.

"Trying to back out, Vegeta? You're not afraid to hit a girl, are you?" Goku taunted.

"Hn." Vegeta huffed, crossing his arms and slowly backing his way out of the room and down the hall in the direction of the door. "I've heard that one before, Kakarot. And no, I'm not afraid. But _you_ should be." Vegeta turned and walked outside, Goku following excitedly. Bulma followed after them, yelling exasperatedly.

"Goku! You're going to ruin your makeup! And I just did it! No one even saw it." Bulma complained. She kicked the corner of the bed out of frustration as she walked back into the room alone to clean up all the makeup. "Oh well. That's Goku for you." Bulma sighed to herself. She suddenly startled with a gasp in realization. "Goku, you're wearing my clothes!" Bulma shrieked, running back outside to catch the fighters.

* * *

"Hey, Gohan. Can we go visit with Trunks today?" Came a little voice from the Son family table. He was oblivious to the tension in the room as he continued eating his hearty lunch. Gohan looked at his brother, then glanced cautiously at his mother. He gulped down his food and opened his mouth to address her. The look she gave him made him immediately shut it. He took another bite, glancing at Goten again. "Well, can we?" Goten asked again, looking to both his mother and his brother, hoping for permission from someone.

"Something is going on." The stern woman suddenly said, having remained silent for the past few hours. "Your father would not just run off so soon after coming back from the dead!" Chi-Chi smacked the table, causing both boys to cringe fearfully.

"You know how dad is." Gohan explained with a nervous chuckle. "I'm sure he'll be back soon." Gohan's voice wavered with his lie, and he glanced up towards the ceiling, wishing his mother would overlook the whole issue. Of course, that would never happen.

"Gohan…" Chi-Chi growled warningly, her black eyes pinned fiercely on his face as his gaze lowered and he met her eyes. Goten's wide eyes slid side to side, observing his family with curiosity. He had no idea what was going on, or what this had to do with his question.

"Maybe…he's closer than you think?" Gohan suggested, causing even Goten to cast a dubious look at his brother.

"Just tell me! Is he in trouble? Is he dead again?" Chi-Chi stood from the table, sobbing as her fears turned for the worse. She suddenly grabbed Gohan by the collar, pulling him up from his chair and glaring sternly into her son's eyes. "Where is my Goku?!" Gohan frowned at Goten, who had stopped eating to marvel at the strange turn of events. Goten didn't even realize his dad was missing. Now he was worried. Gohan sighed in resignation. He just couldn't keep this up anymore.

"Maybe you should take Goten to Capsule Corporation, Mom. You'll find Dad there." Chi-Chi immediately jumped up and headed for the door. "Mom!" He wanted to warn her, to let her know what to expect. But when Chi-Chi had her mind set on something, she could be freakishly fast. She snagged Goten, running outside in a flash and yelling for Kinto-un. Gohan ran after her, but Goten was too excited to wait for Kinto-un. He grabbed his mother by the waist and flew off before Gohan reached them, racing to Capsule Corporation to play with his best friend. Gohan groaned and rubbed his head, returning to the house. He could go after them, but he figured it was better to stay out of the line of fire. He should give a call to Capsule Corporation, though. He'd at least try to give his dad a heads-up for what was coming.

* * *

The yard of Capsule Corporation appeared to be a mine testing site. There were craters in the ground and the exterior of the buildings looked like they had been hit by a few bombs. Two glowing flashes of light bounced all over the place, the blinding streaks emanating with so much force and power that no one would dare approach the area. Except for one woman, who stood on the ground looking up into the air, yelling furiously as the fight proceeded and she knew she was being ignored.

Goten smiled at the sight, recognizing Vegeta fighting with that friend of Piccolo's that showed up the other day. He didn't know she was a Super Saiyan! He almost dropped his mother as he was distracted with his excitement, but quickly tightened his grip as he flared his ki to announce his presence to the fighters. They halted their fighting, turning in Goten's direction as Goten landed and placed his mother beside the angry woman on the ground. Chi-Chi immediately began questioning Bulma for Goku's whereabouts, while the two fighters in the air appeared to be having an argument of their own. Goten ran inside the house in search of Trunks, overlooked by the busy adults.

"Vegeta! Get down here!" Bulma yelled as she had enough of Chi-Chi's accusations. Not that some of them weren't true. She couldn't deny that she was letting Goku hide out here. Vegeta turned as if preparing to fly down, and Goku grabbed him, holding him and speaking a little longer, her body language showing a high level of anxiety. Vegeta growled something at Goku, and she released him as he flew down to meet the others. Goku continued hovering in the air, watching the people below her.

"Coward." Vegeta sneered under his breath as he reached the ground to meet the others. "What do you want?" Vegeta asked, eyeing both women who interrupted his spar.

"First of all, I want you and Goku to take me shopping for some new clothes!" Bulma ordered, quite furious at the obviously torn and destroyed outfit Goku now wore.

"Never gonna happen." Vegeta responded, closing his eyes and crossing his arms.

"Where is Goku?!" Chi-Chi shrieked, grabbing Vegeta forcefully by the shoulders. He rudely pushed her off of him and stepped back.

"I was sparring with Kakarot. You just saw her." Vegeta responded, pointing into the space in the air which was now empty.

"Oooh, where did he go now? Goku, get out here right now!" Chi-Chi ordered. She started stalking off as if to search for him, then stopped with a perplexed expression on her face. She turned to face Vegeta again. "You called Goku _her_?"

"Oops. Guess I did." Vegeta said with a wicked smirk.

"Vegeta!" Came an irritated voice from the sky.

"Goku?" Chi-Chi asked, glancing up in confusion at the Super Saiyan flying down to meet them. Landing in front of her was a woman with shoulder length blonde hair, short spikes branching out in all directions. Her clothing was torn and dirty from the fighting, which Bulma was staring at furiously. Her turquoise eyes were the same piercing color that Chi-Chi had found so frightening when she was first introduced to Super Saiyans. She could not deny that this woman was a Super Saiyan, but Goku? "Is this some sort of a joke?" Chi-Chi asked, turning to Bulma and Vegeta.

"Do you see anyone laughing?" Vegeta retorted.

"Chi-Chi," Bulma said cautiously, stepping towards her friend, "Goku had a freak accident, that's all." Bulma explained with a nervous smile. Chi-Chi's face dropped, her mouth agape with disbelief. She turned her attention to Goku, who was already cringing with her hands up in defense. She immediately recognized that posturing, and growled with frustration as she realized it was true.

"You are unbelievable! You couldn't even stay home for a few months before you had to find some reason to be kept away from me?!" Chi-Chi invaded Goku's space, baring her teeth in anger. Goku waved her hands defensively, stepping back from Chi-Chi with a nervous, appeasing smile.

"Chi-Chi, it's not like that, really." She said in an apologetic tone. "I really was happy being with you again. This just…sorta happened." Goku explained sadly with a shrug. Chi-Chi's face faltered, her eyes softening with Goku's apologetic tone. She suddenly melted to the floor, falling to her knees in a sobbing heap.

"I'm a widow again!" Chi-Chi cried. Bulma reached a hand to Chi-Chi's shoulder consolingly. "Why can't we ever be a normal family?" Chi-Chi cried as Bulma began rubbing her back and whispering some reassurance to her. Goku glanced at Vegeta, who was scowling as he watched the scene before him.

"Is she really a widow?" Goku whispered curiously to Vegeta. Vegeta scoffed.

"Do I care?" Vegeta asked, turning towards the house. "It looks like we're done sparring, Kakarot. We'll have to try again sometime without interruptions." Vegeta challenged as he walked into the house without taking another look at the dramatic scene on the yard.

"Goku!" Goku turned to Chi-Chi's voice, surprised at the pleasant tone she was suddenly taking.

"Chi-Chi?" Goku questioned as she approached the two smiling women.

"Goku, I explained to Chi-Chi that we are trying everything to turn you back to normal as soon as possible. I told her how you were planning on staying here." Bulma explained.

"And I am fine with that. If Bulma thinks having you here will help her return you to me faster, I actually prefer that you stay here, Goku." Chi-Chi wrung her hands nervously as she smiled shyly at the new Goku. Goku beamed back, and Chi-Chi recognized that dazzling smile that reminded her so much of her husband.

"That's great! Bulma, you really think you can figure something out?" Goku asked excitedly. Bulma smiled weakly in return, only able to give a weak nod. She knew all options in the lab had been exhausted, but she hoped her white lie would make things easier on Goku and Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi had spent too many years without Goku already. There was no reason she should have to fear another long absence.

"Well, I'm going to head home, then. I have a lot of work to do if I want to keep you properly fed in this place." Chi-Chi remarked, placing her hands on her hips as she became determined.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bulma scoffed, deeply offended by Chi-Chi's implication.

"I'll make all your favorites, and have Gohan deliver them here for you later." Chi-Chi said, winking to Goku as Bulma fumed angrily at her. Goku smiled brightly and wrapped Chi-Chi in a tight hug.

"Thanks, Chi-Chi! You're the best!" Goku said as she released Chi-Chi and smiled thankfully at her wife. Chi-Chi looked closely at Goku, then pulled away with a perplexed expression.

"Goku, are you wearing makeup?" Goku responded with a simple 'yeah', and Chi-Chi shook her head and leaned in awkwardly, settling for kissing Goku on the cheek as she said goodbye.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Bulma remarked bitterly, tapping her foot as Chi-Chi turned to leave. Chi-Chi turned to Bulma, surprised at her bitter tone.

"What's wrong, Bulma?" She asked innocently.

"What wrong?! What's wrong?!" Bulma fumed, clenching her fists. "Nothing! But maybe you need someone to take you home, huh?" Chi-Chi looked around, realizing that she had no vehicle to go home in. She laughed lightly just as Goten and Trunks came running outside.

"See? See?" Goten repeated excitedly as the boys ran outside, focusing on Goku, who had not yet powered down from her Super Saiyan form. "She is a Super Saiyan!"

"Wow!" Trunks exclaimed with a big smile, too amazed to feign any indifference. Goku powered down immediately after the boys acknowledged her current state, her black coloring returning as the boys frowned in disappointment.

"Actually, boys, it's not so amazing that she is a Super Saiyan. She has been for a long time now." Bulma explained, smiling with amusement.

"What?" Goten and Trunks both asked, completely confused.

"Uh, boys, this is Goku." Chi-Chi said, gesturing with an open palm towards the woman. The boys cocked an eyebrow, then glanced at each other.

"Mom, are you okay?" Goten asked, placing his hands on his hips and cocking his head to study his mother curiously.

"Goten, it really is me, your dad." Goku said, kneeling before Goten and placing her hands on his little shoulders. She felt funny about calling herself a dad for some reason. It seemed like the longer she was in a female body, the more she was beginning to feel like a woman.

"Dad?" Goten asked doubtfully, closely examining her face. Goku smiled warmly at Goten, and Goten shrugged. "Okay, if you say so." Goten smiled receptively.

"So easygoing. Just like his father." Chi-Chi commented, shaking her head fondly at her son. Trunks puckered his lips and watched the interaction between father and son skeptically. Bulma stepped next to Trunks, patting his head as she watched as well.

"Trunks, I know you're having trouble believing this. But it's true. You think your father would waste time sparring with just any third class woman?" Bulma asked. Trunks glanced up at his mother, surprised at her remark. Then he huffed in agreement, crossing his arms as he watched Goten and Chi-Chi flying off and waving goodbye. Goku turned to face the two once she finished waving goodbye to her family.

"Thanks, Bulma. You really saved me there." Goku said as she joined the two and they headed back inside together. "No more blood tests, though, right?" She added warily. Bulma laughed.

"No, Goku. No more blood tests. Actually, there will be no more tests at all. I kinda lied about that." Bulma admitted. Goku stopped walking, and the others followed in stopping.

"So, you really can't do anything for me?" Goku asked with disappointment.

"No, Goku. It's just like I told Gohan. I just didn't want Chi-Chi to be upset. I still hope we can think of some other way, though." Bulma added in consolation. Goku frowned, scuffing her foot as she resumed walking with her head down.

"It's alright, Bulma. At least Chi-Chi isn't angry. If she's not angry, I have nothing else to worry about. I can handle this." Goku forced a smile as she looked up at Bulma, who smiled encouragingly back at her.


	5. Girls Only Sleepover

Bulma and Mrs. Briefs sat at the table, Bulma resting her hand on her chin in boredom as she watched a bunch of Saiyans eating dinner. They were certainly happy about Chi-Chi's cooking. Gohan was practically drooling when he delivered the delicious smelling food, but he rushed off quickly. Everyone knew where he was headed, passing up his mother's cooking and looking so excited to leave. He, of course, was too shy to admit that he was going to see his girlfriend. That didn't stop Trunks from mocking on the poor boy as he hurried off, blushing profusely. Bulma chuckled to herself at the recent memory, then noticed her mother smiling at her.

"Mom, are you finished?" Bulma asked, reaching for her mother's mostly empty plate. Her mother nodded with a smile and a gentle hum as Bulma stood from the table with the dish. The Saiyans continued eating, though they were slowing down, so she knew it would be over soon. She put the dishes in the sink and turned to observe the diners, crossing her arms and leaning her back against the counter.

"I guess I'll have to find a way to get used to this." Bulma muttered to herself. She was already accustomed to Trunks' and Vegeta's eating, but Goku ate even more than they did. And now there were three of them.

"Wha-?" Goku asked from the table, her mouth full as she spoke. Bulma frowned to herself, realizing Goku and Vegeta both heard her by the expressions on their faces.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, honey." Mrs. Briefs prompted, smiling amicably at Goku. Goku nodded obediently, swallowing before speaking again.

"Sorry, Mrs. Briefs." Goku apologized as Trunks and Vegeta snickered at her expense, making her blush.

"Oh, that's okay." Mrs. Briefs said as she stood from the table. "It's just not ladylike. If you want a man to notice you, you need to have good manners." Mrs. Briefs recited as she strutted into the kitchen with Bulma. Goku frowned after her.

"Uh, Mrs. Briefs, I don't want-" Goku began, thinking she needed to explain to Mrs. Briefs all over again who she really was.

"She doesn't want any dessert, so don't bother asking." Bulma interrupted sternly. She knew her mother would never wrap her mind around the concept of Goku being a woman. The last thing she wanted to hear was that conversation going round and round. Her mother could carry on without knowing anything. That would work much better.

"Okay, dear. Are you sure?" Mrs. Briefs asked Goku disappointedly. Goku opened her mouth to speak, smiling with anticipation before Bulma sent her a death glare. There was enough food out on the table already. Bulma was just happy she had money and inventions to handle this kind of thing. She couldn't imagine how Chi-Chi did it.

"I'm sure." Goku said sadly, pushing her plate away as she was finally finished with her meal. Vegeta and Trunks finished as well, and Trunks jumped down from his seat, ready to run to his room to play.

"Trunks!" Vegeta yelled after him, stopping the boy in his tracks. Trunks turned to face his father. "Get ready for bed."

"Awww, come on, Papa! Can't I play first?" Trunks whined.

"What for?" Vegeta deadpanned. Bulma shook her head.

"No, young man. Your father told you to get ready for bed. Now go get ready!" Bulma ordered sternly as she pointed up the stairs. Trunks pursed his lips as he pouted angrily, crossing his arms before heading up the stairs.

"This sucks!" Trunks complained under his breath as he headed to bed. Goku watched the family interaction with curiosity. She never thought Vegeta and Bulma would be such strict parents.

"Wow, you guys are worse than Chi-Chi!" Goku remarked, laughing until she noticed the glares she received from them.

"Worse than Chi-Chi?" Bulma balked, clearly offended. Bulma marched up to Goku, getting right in her face.

"Maybe you just need some parenting lessons, Goku! But don't ever say I'm worse than Chi-Chi! I don't make Trunks study all the time! I let him have fun, too! I encourage his training! I'm a cool mom!" Bulma yelled indignantly. Goku and Vegeta sat silently, Vegeta smirking proudly after his woman and Goku observing Bulma curiously.

"I guess you have a point." Goku admitted with an indifferent shrug. "So, what now?" She asked, looking around the room. Mrs. Briefs was baking in the kitchen, Trunks was upstairs, and Dr. Briefs had rushed away from the table early to tend to the animals.

"Well, it's getting late. I'll be heading to bed soon. Speaking of bed," Bulma added, glancing upstairs with a suspicious look, "Trunks should be in bed by now."

"I'll go make sure he is." Vegeta said, heading quickly up the stairs. Goku stared after him in surprise.

"What is it, Goku?" Bulma asked curiously. Goku shook her head.

"Nothing. Just…it's strange seeing Vegeta act like a parent." Goku admitted. Bulma laughed and shook her head in agreement.

"Yeah, he's really changed since you died. Well, why don't I show you the guest room where you'll be staying?" Bulma said as she followed Vegeta's path up the stairs, Goku close behind her. She quickly stopped at a room not far from the staircase, opening the door to reveal an empty, clean bedroom. Goku frowned.

"Hey, Bulma. Could I sleep with you tonight?" Goku asked with a hopeful smile.

"Sleep with me?" Bulma asked, dumbfounded by the request.

"Yeah." Goku rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "It's just that, I've never liked sleeping alone. You know that. It'll be like old times!" Goku added enthusiastically. Bulma laughed.

"Not exactly. You wouldn't need to sleep on the floor now that you're a girl. And I think you know by now what is and is not appropriate to do to sleeping women." Bulma glared meaningfully at Goku, then smiled in remembrance of their times together all those years ago. An explosion erupted from a few bedrooms away, and Goku and Bulma started, alarmed. Goku stepped forward to investigate, but Bulma quickly placed a hand on her chest, telling her to stay.

"That's Trunks' room. What is Vegeta up to this time?" Bulma asked, narrowing her eyes as she stomped off towards the bedroom. Goku waited patiently, tilting her head as she glanced down the hall and kept her distance. This was apparently some sort of family matter.

A moment later, Bulma and Vegeta's yelling could be heard from the bedroom. Goku chuckled in amusement at their bickering. Vegeta stormed out of the room, heading down the hall in the opposite direction, ignorant of Goku's presence as he proceeded into another room and slammed the door. Bulma emerged a moment later, sweetly wishing Trunks a goodnight sleep from the doorway as she headed back towards Goku.

"Come on, Goku. You can sleep in our room with me tonight." Bulma said haughtily as she grabbed Goku's hand and dragged her to her room. She immediately began rifling through a drawer in the elegantly decorated bedroom. Goku looked around, appreciating the soft materials and pleasant lighting, though the rest of the décor was not her style. She could live in a room with plain walls and floors without any problem. This was just too decorated for her comfort. She was startled from her observation when a cottony garment struck her in the face.

"You can wear that to bed." Bulma told her brusquely. Goku grabbed the garment and looked at it. It was almost sheer and had thin straps and…not what she had in mind.

"Bulma, don't you have anything else?" Goku asked with disdain towards the garment.

"No, Goku! If you want to sleep in my room, you'll wear what I give you!" Bulma reprimanded. Goku was beginning to regret wanting to sleep in here. Bulma was clearly too angry to be a good bedmate. She reluctantly got dressed, as Bulma did the same. It was bizarre, Bulma not minding Goku seeing her naked. It was even more confusing to Goku that she could watch Bulma right in front of her, her breasts bouncing and slender hips being revealed as her panties came down, and nothing. Usually when Goku would see a sight like that, it made him excited. It was very exciting when it was Chi-Chi and they were alone. But it was like something died in her. That desire was completely snuffed.

"Hm." Goku huffed to herself as she finished pulling her nightgown on. Bulma turned and looked at Goku in surprise as she finished slipping on her own nightgown.

"What is it, Goku?" Bulma asked softly, sounding concerned.

"Nothing." Goku said, quickly dismissing the thought. She reminded herself she would not be a woman forever. She'd get it back. "Are you okay, Bulma?" Goku asked carefully, fearful of Bulma's wrath. Though, she did just seem to soften up a moment ago.

"Yes." Bulma said angrily. Goku raised her brows dubiously at Bulma. "Vegeta does that with Trunks sometimes. I've told him so many times not to, but does he listen to me?!" Bulma slammed her dresser drawer shut, the force knocking the picture frame off the wall. Bulma huffed and picked up the fallen picture, placing it back on the dresser. "Stupid arrogant prince! Well, I hope he enjoys sleeping alone tonight!" Bulma yelled loudly, clearly trying to get Vegeta's attention in the guest room down the hall. Goku gulped nervously, feeling regretful of asking. "Honestly, ki blasts before bed. Like he can't just read a bedtime story like any normal parent would do." Bulma continued muttering to herself as she marched into the bathroom adjoining the bedroom.

Goku crossed her arms, waiting behind the closed door. Maybe Bulma wouldn't be angry anymore when she came out. Her moods always seemed to change too quickly for her to keep track of them. Bulma emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, a toothbrush in her mouth, waving Goku in. Goku accepted the toothbrush that Bulma quickly offered, and began brushing her teeth alongside Bulma. She finished getting ready in the bathroom as Bulma headed into bed, turning on the small TV set in front of the bed and settling under the covers. Goku quickly joined Bulma after emerging from the bathroom, jumping excitedly into the bed. She forgot how fun these sleepovers could be! Bulma laughed in surprise when Goku jumped, bouncing a few times before squirming beneath the covers next to Bulma.

"Ahh, I feel like a kid again!" Bulma sighed happily as she smiled at Goku.

"Yeah!" Goku laughed. She crossed her arms behind her head, laying on her back as she stared up towards the ceiling. "Thanks for letting me sleep with you, Bulma."

"You can thank Vegeta. He would've slept in here instead of you if he weren't being such a jerk tonight." Bulma's tone quickly started sounding angry again, and Goku was quick to deter the conversation elsewhere.

"Bulma, do you think Chi-Chi is still angry?" Goku asked.

"No. You saw her. She cooked her tail off all afternoon to make your favorites, Goku." Bulma remarked disbelievingly. "Sometimes I think your wife is crazy."

"Sometimes she is crazy." Goku admitted. "But sometimes I like her that way." Bulma laughed. "But, really, you don't think she's still angry?"

"No! Goku, go to bed already!" Bulma said, hitting Goku in the face with her pillow as she rolled over to get into a comfortable sleeping position.

"Okay, okay." Goku muttered, pushing her hair out of her face and settling in. "Goodnight, Bulma." Bulma turned to her side, her back facing Goku as she thought to herself for a moment. She wished there was something else she could do for her friend.

"Goku, I'm not giving up. I'll find some other way to help you. You know that, right?" Bulma said wholeheartedly. Her only response was a light snore. She turned to face Goku, rolling her eyes when she saw her passed out already. She turned back into her pillow, snuggling to doze off to sleep. "Typical Goku." She yawned to herself before dozing off for the night.

Goku slept surprisingly well that night, though the night was riddled with crazy dreams. She woke very early in the morning to noises from the bathroom. It was still dark outside, and she had no intentions of waking up yet. She fell back asleep, only to be awakened again by Bulma running the shower and singing loudly. Goku groaned and rolled onto her stomach, crushing the pillow on top of her head to block out the noises as she fell back asleep again.

The next time Goku woke, it was to a much more pleasant sensation. She felt fingers trailing her sides, a light, sensual touch that stopped just above her hips. The fingers landed again against her ribcage, sliding down slowly and twisting her body slightly to the side with a subtle push as she lay half asleep. Kisses were planted on her raised shoulder, hot breath hovering over her skin to give her goosebumps. The fingers continued sliding down, making Goku's breath hitch as they slid beneath the waistband of her panties, massaging an extremely sensitive spot between her legs. She moaned quietly, noticing the muffled noise and lack of air from the pillow still laid atop her head. She reached up to remove the pillow just as she felt lips against the base of her neck, and a deep voice reverberated against her skin, "Bulma…"

Goku threw the pillow aside and screamed, immediately slamming her back against the headboard and pulling the sheets tightly around herself. She yelled again, shaking her head as she recognized Vegeta backing away from the bed, a disgusted, horrified expression on his face.

"Kakarot?! What are you doing in my bed?!" Vegeta exclaimed furiously. The bedroom door flew open and the lights came on as Bulma responded to the sounds of the screams.

"What's going on in here?" Bulma asked as she stood holding the door handle.

"Vegeta touched me! Vegeta kissed me!" Goku yelled, pointing at Vegeta until the sheet slid down, and she resumed clutching it with both hands.

"Really?" Bulma asked, her lips pursed angrily as she looked at Vegeta.

"No, I did not!" Vegeta exclaimed as Bulma glared at him. "I thought she was you!" Vegeta growled at Bulma, clutching his hair with a horrified expression. Bulma looked from Goku to Vegeta, taking in their distressed and horrified expressions, the two of them panting in panic, and burst out laughing. It was just too funny seeing them like that, and even if that did happen, she was certain by their reactions that it would never happen again.

"I hope you two enjoyed it. How was she, Vegeta?" Bulma teased. Vegeta growled furiously and stepped into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Goku calmed down instantly when she noticed Bulma's hand that hung by her side, holding a fork with a piece of sausage on it.

"Hey, Bulma. Were you eating breakfast?" Goku asked, perking up with interest. Bulma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, then raised her hand, glancing at her fork.

"Oh. Yeah." Bulma answered dully.

"Great! I'm starved!" Goku exclaimed as she shot out of bed and ran out of the room with a bright smile. Bulma shook her head in disbelief as she followed Goku out, leaving Vegeta to sulk, as she assumed he might be doing for the day after that incident.


	6. Gone Girl

Bulma entered the kitchen to find Goku already feasting on breakfast-all of it. Bulma bit the sausage off her fork she was still carrying and slammed the utensil on the counter, grabbing Goku's attention.

"Goku! You're not the only person who needs to eat around here!" Bulma fumed angrily, placing her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, sorry." Goku issued the empty apology with a huge smile as she slid another plate in front of herself. "It just smelled so good, and I was so hungry."

"Yeah, yeah. You're always hungry." Bulma slid into a seat next to Goku where she had been sitting before the screaming began earlier. At least she still had her coffee there. She took a sip as Goku finished off the last plate, sighing heavily with satisfaction. "You know, Vegeta's really going to be furious with you when he comes down here and sees that you ate everyone's breakfast." Bulma smiled as she enjoyed the frown that Goku wore when she realized the truth behind that.

"Look who I found." Mrs. Briefs announced giddily, prancing into the kitchen with her arms wrapped tightly around the arm of another man. Goku and Bulma looked in her direction, smiling at their visitor.

"Hey, Yamcha! Puar! What are you doing here?" Goku asked, smiling with all thoughts of Vegeta's anger forgotten. Yamcha startled when he caught sight of Goku, then frowned with disappointment.

"Hi, Yamcha. I would offer you breakfast, but someone ate everything." Bulma said bitingly. Yamcha waved her off.

"It's okay, Bulma. We already ate." Yamcha grabbed a chair next to Bulma, seating himself across from Goku as Puar hovered over his shoulder.

"Oh, dear!" Mrs. Briefs said, clapping a hand to her cheek. "I'll make some more food. Wouldn't want my little Trunks waking up cranky without his breakfast." Mrs. Briefs cooed as she set to work in the kitchen. Goku smiled victoriously with the knowledge that she was off the hook for eating everything.

"Actually, I wanted to check in over here." Yamcha explained. "Everyone at Kame House has been wondering what happened to Goku, since we haven't heard anything from you guys." Yamcha scowled reprimandingly at Bulma.

"What? You can pick up a phone, too, you know." Bulma responded defensively.

"But I can see you're still a woman." Yamcha said to Goku, blushing slightly. Bulma chuckled at his discomfort, then turned her attention to Goku.

"Goku, maybe you should get dressed." Bulma said, standing and shoving Goku out of her seat towards the stairs. She had rushed down for breakfast in that slinky nightgown, which was obviously making Yamcha uncomfortable. Goku groaned as she reluctantly padded up the stairs, not looking forward to 'getting dressed'.

"So, do you have something in the works for Goku?" Yamcha asked Bulma after Goku left. "I thought she'd be back to the old Goku by now."

"She's been here for two days! You people are all so impatient!" Bulma huffed. "I'm not a magician, I'm a genius. Even a genius who is smart enough to invent the time machine cannot be expected to make a woman into a man in two days." Bulma scowled at Yamcha, who returned an apologetic look.

"You're right, Bulma." Puar spoke up, flying closer to Bulma. "I'm sure you're working very hard to help Goku."

"No." Bulma admitted sadly. "Actually, I tried. But there's nothing I can do. We have to find a different way." Rough footsteps were heard coming down the stairs, followed by the scurry of a lighter set. The group in the kitchen looked towards the stairs to see Vegeta coming down, followed by Trunks.

"Good morning." Bulma smiled to her family as they both glanced toward the table. Vegeta frowned deeply, obviously unhappy about their company, or perhaps it was still the earlier incident bothering him. Trunks rubbed his eyes, still tired as he glanced up and smiled weakly at the group.

"Good morning." Trunks said as he sat where Goku had been sitting earlier. Vegeta grunted and took the seat next to Trunks, frowning at Yamcha.

"What are you doing here?" Vegeta asked Yamcha grumpily.

"Yeah, nice to see you, too, Vegeta." Yamcha responded haughtily. Vegeta glared, and Yamcha frowned back at him. "I came to check up on Goku. I thought she might be a he again." Vegeta scoffed humorlessly, and immediately set to work on the breakfast plate that Mrs. Briefs was just setting in front of him. Trunks smiled excitedly at his own breakfast as he began eating as well.

"Vegeta knows all too well that Goku is still a she." Bulma remarked with amusement. Vegeta stopped eating for a moment to glare at Bulma.

"Keep your mouth shut, woman." Bulma chuckled to herself as Yamcha eyed the exchange with interest.

"Yeah. I mean, how could you not?" Yamcha agreed. "Goku is hot as a woman!" Yamcha admitted, blushing slightly as everyone stared at him.

"No. She's not." Vegeta disagreed stubbornly.

"Oh really?" Bulma challenged. "That's not what you said two days ago." Yamcha smiled smugly at Vegeta.

"I was lying!" Vegeta said defensively as he scowled at Bulma.

"Bulma, I need help with this thing!" Goku called as she made her way down the stairs. She was dressed in a pair of fitted jeans, a pair of sneakers, and a t-shirt. The t-shirt was fitting her very awkwardly with something poking out beneath the front of the fabric in odd places, and she was reaching around her back, looking frustrated. She startled when she sighted Vegeta at the table, but continued down the stairs, eyeing him warily. Vegeta sneered back at her as Bulma headed to meet her at the stairs, tension immediately filling the room.

Bulma knew exactly what the problem was. She had Goku spin around so she could reach her back, and lifted her t-shirt slightly, adjusting and snapping the back of Goku's bra. "There." Bulma said as she lowered Goku's shirt again, and Goku spun around, smiling briefly in appreciation.

"These things are awful." Goku complained, fidgeting and pulling at the contraption beneath her shirt.

"Yeah, it doesn't help that that's not exactly your size, either." Bulma mused as she stroked her chin, eyeing Goku's chest thoughtfully. "We should take you to the mall today and get you fitted for your own bras." Goku's face dropped, looking terrified.

"Aw, come on. It won't be that bad, Goku." Yamcha said encouragingly, his sympathetic feelings for his friend overcoming his interest in bra talk. Goku crossed her arms tightly, shaking her head in refusal.

"No! I don't need to go shopping. I need to be the old me again!" Goku said stubbornly. Her eyes lit suddenly with an idea, and she clenched her fists excitedly. "Yes! That's what I need to do!" She said as she placed two fingers to her forehead and smiled brightly.

"Goku!" Bulma and Yamcha both yelled before she disappeared from their sight. Bulma crossed her arms and looked at Vegeta and Yamcha. "Now what do you think she's doing?" Yamcha simply shrugged, a clueless expression on his face. Vegeta pushed away from the table, standing to leave.

"I don't care what she does, as long as she stays away from me." Vegeta remarked as he left the room. Bulma pursed her lips, staring at Yamcha for a while.

"I guess you're going back to Kame House now?" She asked him.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what to tell them, though." Yamcha said as he stood from the table and placed his hands in his pockets.

"Well, I've got nothing better to do today. I'll come with you." Bulma offered.

"Can I come with you, Mom?" Trunks asked, jumping from his seat at the table. Bulma glanced at him, having almost forgotten he was there.

"Sure, kiddo." Bulma answered, ruffling Trunks' hair before following Yamcha and Puar out the door.

* * *

"_That_ is what was supposed to happen this morning." Vegeta panted into Bulma's ear as he rolled off of her, the two of them glistening in sweat and wrapped tightly in the bedsheets.

"This morning?" Bulma asked cluelessly as she attempted to catch her breath. "Oh! You mean when you almost had sex with Goku!" Bulma laughed as Vegeta instantly sprung from the bed and stomped into the bathroom. Vegeta slammed the bathroom door angrily and wordlessly as Bulma chuckled to herself and climbed out of bed. Vegeta exited the bathroom, not speaking to her for that remark. Bulma cleaned up in the bathroom after him and dressed into her nightclothes. She decided to do one last check around the house before bed, and became disturbed when she realized Goku still hadn't returned since she left in the morning. Goku never showed at Kame House, and Bulma and Trunks had stopped by the Sons' home to pick up more food from Chi-Chi. Goku wasn't there, either. Where could she be all day that she was still out this late?

"Vegeta." Bulma said as she returned to their bedroom and found Vegeta just about to climb into bed. "I'm worried about Goku." Vegeta groaned, plopping into bed.

"There haven't been any disturbing energies to worry about, if that's what you're thinking."

"Well, that's good. I'm still worried, though. Goku should be back by now. Where else could she be?" Bulma worried as she crossed her arms and stood in the doorway.

"Who knows? It's Kakarot. He-she does this all the time!" Vegeta remarked frustratedly. "Will you just come to bed already?" He asked, annoyed by Bulma's hovering presence in the doorway. Bulma moaned dubiously, her brows knit with concern as she stayed planted where she stood.

"Vegeta…" Bulma began, her voice deeply troubled.

"Don't even say it!" Vegeta warned from the bed, punching the pillow out of frustration.

"You need to find her." Bulma said sternly, setting a stubborn expression on her face as she finally approached the bed.

"No! If Kakarot wants to stay out all night, let her! I'm trying to get some sleep." Bulma stomped her foot angrily before turning towards the closet.

"Fine! You sleep alone then. I'll find her!" Bulma said stubbornly as she pulled some clothes from the closet and began getting dressed.

Vegeta rubbed his temples with frustration and growled at the ceiling. "Dammit, woman! You'll never find her!" Vegeta huffed as he reluctantly climbed out of bed, knowing Bulma had every intention of finding Goku, even if it took all night. Bulma glanced over her shoulder as her t-shirt slipped over her head.

"So, you'll go?" Bulma asked. She smiled as she saw Vegeta was already dressed and opening the window. He took off into the air wordlessly, and Bulma headed to the window and closed it to leave it slightly ajar for Vegeta to return. She smiled fondly after him as his form disappeared into the air, then returned to bed with a heavy sigh. She just hoped everything was alright.


	7. Acceptance

Vegeta flew through the night sky angrily. He thought things were tough _before_ when Bulma decided to be difficult. Now he had two women causing him trouble. Vegeta followed Goku's ki to a forest. The female Saiyan was flying around as if searching for something, and did not even flinch when Vegeta approached, though Vegeta knew that she knew he was there.

"Kakarot." Vegeta called quietly from the air.

"Vegeta! Here, smell this!" Goku said excitedly, flying up to Vegeta and shoving a dark piece of cloth in his face. Vegeta pulled away from the cloth, grimacing in disgust.

"Ugh! It smells like old people!" Vegeta complained, glaring angrily at Goku for shoving the repulsive thing in his face as he tore it from Goku's hand and threw it down to the ground.

"Yeah! I'm tracking the witch that did this! That was hers. I found it at the site where we met her. But I keep losing her trail…right…around…here!" Goku explained as she followed the scent and flew to the specific area. Vegeta followed Goku, sniffing the air and deciphering the scent for himself. He sneered when he picked up traces of Goku's pleasant scent, and made a conscious move away from her.

"I smell burnt wood." Vegeta remarked after deciding on the predominant odor.

"Yeah. That's why I'm losing the trail. There was a fire here recently, and I can't detect the witch's smell through it. Can you?" Vegeta shook his head. "Aw, come on!"

"No, Kakarot. Bulma is worried about you. You need to come back to Capsule Corporation." Vegeta ordered, eyeing Goku sternly. Goku shook her head adamantly.

"No! Not until I find this witch and get her to reverse the spell." Goku said insistently, landing at the difficult spot and attempting again to follow the witch's trail. Vegeta rolled his eyes and followed Goku to the ground.

"Kakarot, have you been at this all day?" Vegeta asked. Goku didn't answer, she was too busy concentrating. Vegeta shook his head. He knew it was true. He'd probably be just as determined if he were in her shoes.

"I'm going to find her." Goku said with determination, though they both knew if that was true, she would have found her already.

"Kakarot, it's useless. Just come home and get some sleep." Vegeta said, losing his patience as he was getting tired.

"I thought you could help me here, Vegeta. Don't tell me the prince of all Saiyans can't track as well as a third class woman?" Goku provoked, aiming to get a reaction out of Vegeta. Vegeta frowned at the challenge, but did not take the bait. The burnt odor was too strong; no one could track that witch's scent through this forest.

Vegeta crossed his arms and held his ground, frowning stoically at Goku as he waited for her to recognize the truth. After a long wait, Goku's face fell in defeat, and she suddenly became angry as she fell to one knee and pounded her fist into the ground. "I can't just give up, Vegeta! I have to find a way to fix this! I just want to be me again!" Goku yelled, clenching her teeth angrily as tears seeped from the corners of her eyes. Goku was too involved in staring at the ground and thinking deeply that she did not sense Vegeta's fast approach. He punched her hard across the face, and she went flying into a tree, which cracked and bent under the sudden force. Goku scowled furiously at Vegeta as she flew away from the tree and rubbed her aching jaw.

"What was that for?!" She yelled at him as she balled her fists tightly and spit blood on the ground.

"You aren't Kakarot. You're an imposter." Vegeta accused, slowly walking towards Goku and scowling deeply at her. Goku's mouth dropped in shock, her eyebrows contorted in confusion. "Kakarot is obnoxiously cheerful and optimistic. Kakarot makes me want to hit him because he can be smug and he seems to have no limits! He does not make me want to hit him because he is sniveling and weeping like a woman!" Goku frowned, hanging her head as Vegeta's words hit hard.

"You don't look like Kakarot, and you don't act like Kakarot. You're a nobody." Vegeta spat on the ground contemptuously. "He would find a way to make this work in his favor. If Kakarot hits a wall, he finds a way to break through it. Always." Vegeta clenched his fists, his own anger rising as he thought back to all the times Goku surpassed him. "The Kakarot I know readily accepted death, but you…you fall apart because you're _changed_?!" Vegeta angrily struck at Goku again, though she was ready this time and dodged the punch, which landed in the tree behind her, knocking it to the ground with a thunderous crash. Goku struck back, releasing her frustration on Vegeta as she brutally struck him in the kidney and he grunted in pain. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Goku, standing proudly despite the pain.

"Even _that_ was something Kakarot wouldn't do." Vegeta growled, though his tone suggested he was somewhat impressed by that move. Goku's furious expression morphed into a smirk as she listened to Vegeta's comment. He met her eyes, smirking right back. "Want some more?" Vegeta challenged, waving an open palm towards Goku in invitation. Goku's smirk deepened as she punched again, but Vegeta disappeared, reappearing behind her and landing a kick against her ribcage. The two continued fighting for hours, neither bothering to power up, but neither holding back at their current level. They fought to total exhaustion, both of them barely holding themselves up as they prepared for yet another go. Finally, Goku collapsed, followed immediately by Vegeta. They were beaten and bloodied, but it was mostly the lack of sleep that finally ended the fight.

* * *

As the sun just barely peeked over the horizon, Piccolo landed in the clearing created by the fight. He, Mr. Popo and Dende had seen it all from the Lookout, and he came prepared. The trees had all been leveled, a few craters scattered across the ground where Goku and Vegeta both lay, passed out a few feet apart from one another. Piccolo shook his head at the Saiyans, kneeling by Vegeta first. He pulled from his pocket a senzu bean, placing it in Vegeta's mouth and making him swallow it. He dropped Vegeta's head harshly on the ground just as he was coming around. Vegeta sat up, rubbing the back of his head and glaring at the Namekian. Piccolo ignored Vegeta as he headed towards Goku.

"Leave her be." Vegeta demanded before Piccolo could give Goku a senzu. Piccolo turned to Vegeta, a disconcerted expression on his face as he knelt over Goku. Vegeta stood up, appreciating his regained health and energy as he opened and closed his palms. He walked over to Goku, kneeling opposite of Piccolo.

"Why?" Piccolo asked, narrowing his eyes at Vegeta. Vegeta reached under Goku, scooping her bridal style into his arms. He frowned serenely at her beautiful, bloodied face before turning his attention to Piccolo.

"Kakarot and I talked enough last night. I want her quiet for the flight back to Capsule Corp." Piccolo studied Vegeta carefully.

"I see." Piccolo said knowingly, smirking at Vegeta. Vegeta scowled at Piccolo's expression.

"Besides," he added, "her feeble mind will need to sleep on it for a while to have any chance of comprehending anything I said." Piccolo nodded with a smug smile, keeping his thoughts to himself. Vegeta sneered at Piccolo, not at all enjoying Piccolo's unspoken implications as he took off into the air, carrying Goku back to Capsule Corp.

The flight back was silent as Vegeta had hoped, but his mind was plagued as he gazed upon the woman sleeping in his arms. What was it about her that just...Vegeta shook the thought away, refusing to feel any weakness toward the woman. Landing at Capsule Corp, Vegeta strolled through the front doors to be greeted by an irate blue-haired woman.

"Vegeta! Where have you been all night?" She yelled as soon as the doors flew open. She gasped, just recognizing the condition of her friend in his arms. "What happened?" She asked as she followed Vegeta, who did not let her questioning interrupt his pace.

"We talked." Vegeta answered shortly, before noticing what he viewed as an unwelcome presence.

"With your fists?!" Bulma asked incredulously as she viewed the marks all over Goku's body, and wondered why Vegeta didn't have any. Vegeta gave Bulma a look as if to say 'how else would you expect us to talk?' before turning to his unwanted guest.

"I see you're here again." Vegeta groaned, but deciding to make use of the nuisance, tossed Goku's limp body to him effortlessly. "Here. Why don't you make yourself useful and put her to bed?" Vegeta ordered with superiority to the other man, who caught Goku and held her awkwardly.

"R-right." He responded with a short nod, carrying Goku up the stairs as Vegeta and Bulma watched.

"Thank you, Yamcha." Bulma said, speaking on Vegeta's behalf. Yamcha was not the only surprise guest. He was followed up the stairs by Master Roshi and Baba. Vegeta looked at Bulma anxiously.

"What are they doing?" He demanded.

"Master Roshi reached out to his sister after Goku left Kame House. She might know something that could change him back, but it's a long shot." Bulma explained as she gazed up the staircase.

"Just what do they plan on doing?!" Vegeta asked, overly agitated by the proposition.

"What are you so jittery about?" Bulma asked, cocking an eyebrow suspiciously at Vegeta.

"I am not jittery!" Vegeta shouted belligerently as he stormed off towards the gravity chamber, escaping Bulma's suspicious stare.

The stout old witch sat over Goku's sleeping form, staring at her before casting an unconvinced gaze on her brother. "Are you sure this is really Goku?"

"Yes, you old coot! Now can you do something for her or not?" Master Roshi asked forcefully. Baba sighed, then let out a phlegmy cough as Yamcha and Master Roshi exchanged a doubtful glance.

"I told you I'd try. But don't get your hopes up. I know the witch who did this, and she protects her spells well." Baba responded as she closed her eyes and held her hands over Goku's body. She began chanting and waving her hands in wide circles as Master Roshi and Yamcha waited patiently. After a few minutes, Bulma stepped into the room.

"Hey, how's it going?" She asked optimistically as she joined the others.

"Shhhh!" Master Roshi and Yamcha responded scoldingly as Baba scowled at the break in her concentration. Bulma frowned angrily at being shushed. But before she could argue, Goku yawned loudly, and began opening her eyes. Baba immediately stopped chanting, placing her hands together as she waited for Goku to notice her. Goku's eyes widened in surprise at everyone hovering over her as she slept.

"What's going on?" She asked as sat up too quickly and winced slightly in pain from her earlier injuries.

"Here, Goku." Yamcha said quickly, handing Goku a senzu bean. "We had a few stocked up at Kame House. I brought them over when Bulma said you went missing yesterday, just in case." Goku smiled thankfully as she placed the bean in her mouth.

"Thanks, Yamcha." She immediately healed and sprang out of bed happily after swallowing the bean.

"I'm sorry, Goku." Baba said gravely, despite Goku's great mood. "It seems there is nothing I can do for you." Baba admitted as she frowned deeply.

"It's okay." Goku answered quickly. Bulma crossed her arms as Yamcha frowned sadly at Goku.

"Goku," Yamcha said as he placed a hand consolingly on Goku's shoulder, "you don't have to be a martyr. There has to be something else we can do for you."

"No." Goku said calmly as she looked up at Yamcha. "It really is okay. I'll look at this as another adventure!" She said with an encouraging smile as her friends continued frowning. "I don't want to keep trying to fix this. We'll just wish on the Dragonballs once they're active again. If I can stay dead for seven years, I can handle being a woman for a few months." She placed her hands on her hips, and her confident smile eventually wore her friends down. Bulma chuckled.

"Alright, Goku. Does that mean you're willing to go shopping with me now?" She challenged as she narrowed her eyes at Goku, who gulped nervously, but set her mouth in a line of determination.

"Yes."


	8. Instantaneous Trouble

"Wow." A blue-eyed teenager exclaimed breathily as she stared wide-eyed at the woman sitting next to her in the car.

"Uh, Videl...you think you could stop saying that?" The other woman asked uncomfortably as she rubbed her arm and cast a sideways glance at the teen.

"Yeah, Videl. You're making Goku uncomfortable." The woman in the front passenger seat said scoldingly. "Stop staring at my husband!"

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. Son!" Videl exclaimed nervously as she blushed profusely. "Or...Mrs. Son? Ugh!"

"Don't worry about it." Goku responded with a toothy grin, feeling amused by Videl's confusion.

"Hmm. Goku, I think we should pick you up some sports bras, because if you really want to keep training at your usual rate, you'll ruin every bra we buy today." The driver mused thoughtfully out of nowhere. Goku grimaced as the subject was mentioned again, but only nodded dutifully.

"I just can't get over it!" Videl exclaimed in amazement. "I mean, you're beautiful!" Goku raised her eyebrows in surprise at the compliment.

"Thanks."

"I'm just so excited that Goku is coming to the mall with us! I haven't been shopping in so long! I'm going to shop, shop, shop!" Chi-Chi squealed excitedly. Goku groaned and slumped in her seat. "Thank you for calling me, Bulma. I wouldn't have missed this for the world." Chi-Chi hummed satisfactorily. Goku crossed her arms, still slouching in her seat.

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Bulma." Goku muttered sarcastically. Chi-Chi turned in her seat, giving a stern glare to Goku who smiled apologetically with a nervous chuckle. "Are we almost there?" Goku whined.

"Goku, will you ever grow up? Learn some patience already!" Bulma scolded from the driver's seat before honking angrily and yelling insults at someone who cut her off.

"I can't help it! We could have been done shopping already if you just let me fly us to the mall." Goku exclaimed wearily. Chi-Chi and Bulma both turned to the back seat, glaring at Goku.

"You are not rushing this, Goku! If you're going to be a woman, you need to try to enjoy shopping!" Bulma exclaimed stubbornly as Chi-Chi gave one curt nod in agreement. Goku hung her head back in defeat with a heavy sigh.

_"Great Saiyaman, come in!"_ An alert sounded on Videl's watch, and she instantly lifted her wrist as she spoke into her communicator.

"Great Saiyagirl here! What's your emergency?" She responded, sounding professional and dutiful. Goku's eyes lit with interest as she listened to the description of an emergency in the city, and Bulma immediately caught the look as Gohan's voice began responding to the emergency through the watch.

"Goku, don't get any ideas!" Bulma warned. "If you leave now, you'll have to do this all over again tomorrow, starting from the beginning!" Bulma threatened. Goku's face dropped, and for a moment she seemed torn with the decision. Another warning glare from Chi-Chi made the decision for her as she sighed and let her head loll back on the seat again.

"I've got to go." Videl said sternly as the car reached a red light and came to a stop. "Sorry to bail, but the city needs its defenders!" Videl said heroically as she opened the door and quickly left.

"Have fun." Goku responded sadly without moving her position or watching Videl run off to fight crime.

* * *

Bulma and Goku sat at the dinner table, both looking worn and miserable after the day they spent together. While Dr. and Mrs. Briefs ate quietly, Trunks and Vegeta glanced at one another, both bemused by what could have transpired during the day to make both women come home from shopping like that. Something must have happened, but strangely, they did not bring home a single bag when they returned.

"Mom...how was shopping?" Trunks finally asked cautiously after a long silence at the table. The only answer Trunks received from his mother was an angry growl. Goku let out a weary chuckle, while the most clueless person at the table was the only one to speak up.

"Oh yes!" Mrs. Briefs said excitedly as she clapped her hands together. "Did you girls have fun?" Vegeta couldn't help noticing a trace of amusement at the question on Goku's face, though Bulma remained fuming silently in her chair.

"What did you do, Kakarot? Blow up a department store?" Vegeta guessed with a smirk.

"No! She disappeared from the dressing room!" Bulma yelled angrily, glaring at Goku.

"So? You found her, didn't you?" Trunks asked, unimpressed by the story as he rested his cheek on his palm in boredom and poked his fork violently at his vegetables.

"No! Not for hours! And she left wearing expensive unpaid merchandise, so Chi-Chi and I had to be embarrassed at my favorite lingerie store! I had to use my store account as clout just so they would let us leave the store! When she finally did, the stores were almost closed and she hadn't been measured yet, so we had to rush through that, and then there was no time to shop for her!" Bulma fumed at Goku, who was slowly eating, as if she were not listening to the rant. "Which was the point of the whole trip!" Bulma added in disbelief at Goku's behavior. Goku placed her fork down calmly and looked at Bulma with an apologetic expression.

"I really am sorry, Bulma. But I had to go." Goku defended herself.

"No, you didn't! Videl and Gohan had things under control! You had to finish shopping first! You know what? I am never shopping with you again!" Bulma yelled exasperatedly. Goku frowned at Bulma, then turned towards Vegeta so Bulma couldn't see her, winking happily. Vegeta chuckled into his food, finding Goku's antics quite amusing for once.

"What are you laughing about?" Bulma asked suddenly as she narrowed her eyes at Goku and Vegeta suspiciously. Goku tensed, certain that Vegeta would rat on her, as he always did in these situations.

"Nothing." Vegeta answered quickly, causing Goku to stare at him in open-mouthed disbelief. "I just find it amusing that you would waste an entire day on something so trivial and still come home empty-handed." Vegeta said tauntingly to Bulma. Bulma shot Vegeta a haughty look and crossed her arms.

"For your information, we did not come home empty handed, not really." Bulma smiled at Goku. "I was able to order everything I wanted for Goku by catalog. It should be delivered here tomorrow."

"Wonderful!" Mrs. Briefs clasped her hands together happily. "I can't wait to see what you bought!"

"Okay, well, it was a long day. I think I'm going to call it a night." Goku said quickly as she stood from the table. Bulma nodded in agreement while Dr. and Mrs. Briefs and Trunks wished Goku a goodnight. Goku showered and prepared for bed, dressing in a large, loose t-shirt, as she much preferred that to the nightgowns Bulma offered. She was spending the night for the first time in this guest room Bulma had provided, sleeping alone.

* * *

Goku never was one to have trouble sleeping, but she strangely found herself still awake a few hours after going to bed. She knew what was on her mind, though she initially thought it could wait until morning. She left the bedroom, traveling down the hall to Bulma and Vegeta's room. She hesitated outside the room, feeling out the presence in the bedroom. She could feel Vegeta, but Bulma was somewhere else…downstairs, it seemed. She considered going back to bed, not wanting to disturb Vegeta as his ki seemed restful. She shook it off and knocked, knowing what she had to say was important, and needed to be said.

"Vegeta?" Goku called when there was no answer to her knock. Finally Goku heard Vegeta's voice through the door.

"Go away." He replied calmly.

"Vegeta. I have to talk to you." Goku said through the door.

"Now is not a good time. Go away." Vegeta repeated. Goku frowned and crossed her arms, knowing Vegeta was being his usual, stubborn self by turning her away.

"Vegeta, you know I don't really need to knock. If you don't open the door, I'll just come to you." Goku warned with a smug smile.

"Kakarot! Stay out there." Vegeta responded as Goku focused on his ki and relocated next to him.

"Idiot. I told you not to come in." Vegeta said coolly as Goku gaped at his naked body next to her and blushed. Vegeta was in the process of stepping into a pair of sweatpants, and was taking his time about it as Goku stared dumbfounded.

"Yeah, but you should've known I'd come in anyways!" Goku exclaimed scoldingly as her heart raced nervously and she turned her face away from Vegeta.

"I see. So it's my fault you walked in on me." Vegeta said, nodding sarcastically. Goku's blush brightened as she cringed at the uncomfortable situation. "Kakarot, what are you doing? I'm dressed now. For someone who's usually such an exhibitionist, you seem incredibly shy about seeing a naked man." Vegeta's tone was taunting, and Goku knew he was smirking at her, even though she couldn't look at him.

What _was_ she doing? She'd seen Vegeta naked many times before, it was no big deal. Why was the sight of him like that making her heart race and creating a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach? Her stomach. That must be it. She'd have to get something to eat after this and settle her stomach, and this weirdness would just go away. She took a deep breath and faced Vegeta, to see him studying her intently.

"Sorry, Vegeta. I, uh, I need to talk to you."

"Yes, you said that already, just before you transmitted yourself into the bedroom when I told you not to come in." Vegeta said impatiently. Goku chuckled apologetically, but decided to get right to the point.

"I never got to thank you, for that talk the other night." Goku said with a serious tone.

"Don't. I didn't choose to be there. And I wouldn't call what we did talking, it was more like beating some sense into you." Vegeta said amicably as he crossed his arms. Goku inhaled sharply at the sight of Vegeta's bare sinewy chest muscles moving. She shook off the errant distraction and smirked at Vegeta.

"Really? The way I remember it, I was doing most of the beating." Goku bragged as she placed her hands on her hips haughtily. Vegeta snorted derisively at the comment. "But you said what I needed to hear. And I had to thank you for that, Vegeta." Goku added seriously as she stared into Vegeta's eyes. Vegeta looked back at her, seemingly taken aback by the sincerity of Goku's demeanor.

"You're welcome." He said quietly as he looked away from her. Goku smiled appreciatively as a long silence filled the room. "Anything else?" Vegeta asked cantankerously.

"No." Goku said happily as she headed for the door. She paused at the door, and Vegeta huffed with annoyance at her lingering presence. "I'm going to grab something to eat. Are you hungry?" She asked as Vegeta rolled his eyes at her.

"Kakarot, we just had dinner a few hours ago." Vegeta grumbled as he continued standing beside the bed with his arms crossed.

"I know, but I think I need something more to settle my stomach." Goku explained with a perplexed expression as she rubbed her stomach. Vegeta cocked an eyebrow curiously at her comment, and watched Goku's expression become wistful as she turned the corner, leaving his sight. He settled into bed after she left, his mind restless with a strange feeling about what just happened.


	9. Where She Belongs

Vegeta headed upstairs after breakfast to find someone raiding his closet. He growled angrily at the intruder, who was wearing one of his blue elastic uniforms and sorting through the armor, of which he had many nearly identical pieces. The smiling intruder turned to face him as he came closer.

"Vegeta, I almost forgot how comfortable these are!" Goku said animatedly, an armor chest-plate in one hand as she stretched and moved in the form-fitting uniform.

"Who said you could go through my things?" Vegeta asked, vexed by the intrusion. Goku smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders. "Stay out of my closet, Kakarot." Vegeta warned as he approached her and snatched the armor from her hand.

"Aww, come on, Vegeta." Goku replied as she yanked the armor back from Vegeta's grasp, holding it to her chest possessively. "I wanted to train this morning. I can't do that in any of that pretty stuff Bulma bought for me."

"Then I guess you'll be falling behind in your training!" Vegeta yelled as he tugged on the armor again, which Goku held tightly.

"I'm training in the gravity chamber this morning, with or without the armor." Goku said stubbornly as she suddenly released her grip and Vegeta stumbled backward a few steps from the abrupt end to their tug-of-war. Goku chuckled as Vegeta scowled in disbelief at her actions, and she proudly marched toward the exit of the closet. Vegeta cut her off, blocking her exit in a flash as he glared at Goku.

"You are not training in the gravity chamber this morning. That is _my_ gravity chamber!" Vegeta demanded territorially, sneering in her face.

"Actually, all I have to do is ask Bulma for permission..." Goku indicated with a smug smile as Vegeta clenched his teeth, growling out his frustration. Goku pursed her lips thoughtfully as she looked at Vegeta. "Why don't we just share it, Vegeta? There's no reason we can't both train in there." She suggested with a friendly smile.

"I train alone." Vegeta said, narrowing his eyes at the determined female Saiyan. Goku crossed her arms and slightly leaned back as Vegeta relaxed a bit. She slipped the armor over her head quickly before turning to Vegeta with a bright smile.

"Alright! We'll see who gets there first!" Goku exclaimed hurriedly before sprinting through the window of the closet. Vegeta balked incredulously at the challenge for a mere moment before sprinting out the door himself. He reached the door of the gravity chamber, seeing Goku approaching it from another direction at almost the same moment. They met at the door and attempted pushing each other out of the way as they both struggled to get the door open and keep one another from getting in.

"Get out of the way!" Vegeta ordered as he pushed his palm against Goku's face.

"No! I was here first!" Goku insisted as she shoved her elbow into Vegeta's chest, fighting against the hand on her face. They grappled with each other wordlessly, gritting their teeth and pushing with all their might as they repeatedly pulled open and pushed closed the door.

"It's Chi-Chi!" Vegeta suddenly yelled, causing Goku to stop and look around just long enough for Vegeta to slide in and shut the door.

"Hey!" Goku yelled heatedly when she realized it was a trick, banging on the door with her fist. "That was dirty, Vegeta!" Vegeta smiled smugly through the little window in the doorway and Goku stuck her tongue out childishly. Goku heaved and turned around, slumping in defeat as she walked across the Capsule Corp grass.

"That _was_ a dirty trick." A voice suddenly agreed from the yard, taking Goku by surprise. "But I do believe I've seen you use that trick before." Dr. Briefs chuckled with amusement. Goku looked completely surprised by the accusation for a moment, then a look of realization crossed her face and she chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.

"Oh yeah. I guess you're right." She admitted with a big smile. She placed her hands on her hips and looked around aimlessly. "Now what am I going to do today?"

"You could always help me out with my latest invention." Dr. Briefs suggested with a hopeful smile as he placed his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. Goku frowned dubiously at the suggestion and immediately waved dismissively at Dr. Briefs.

"That's okay. I think I'll get out of the city for awhile. See ya later, Dr. Briefs!" Goku yelled with a wave as she flew into the air.

* * *

Goku landed at her home, which was temporarily a strange place to be. She first noticed the picnic blanket set out, harboring two teenage lovebirds in the yard. Goku smirked at the sight as she strolled up to the unsuspecting teens, who were leaning in for a kiss. She leaned over them when their lips were just about to touch and smiled widely.

"Whatcha doin'?" She asked loudly as the teens jumped and nervously parted.

"D-dad!" Gohan stuttered, blushing profusely.

"Goku! Are you trying to scare us to death!?" Videl asked in a fiery tone that could rival Chi-Chi's as she clasped her hand over her heart. Goku chuckled mischievously as Gohan scowled at her.

"Dad," Gohan groaned, "we're trying to study for a test." He indicated the books and notebooks sprawled across the picnic blanket with a wide wave of his hand. Goku nodded knowingly.

"Suuuure." She said as she winked at her son, who frowned back at her. "Don't let me distract you." She added cheerily with a wave as she continued towards the house. She smiled widely when she spotted the boy who was a carbon-copy of the old her, squatting and inspecting something curiously in the grass.

"Hey, Goten." She said quietly as she squatted down beside him eagerly. "Whatcha looking at, son?"

"Dad! I'm catching frogs!" Goten exclaimed loudly, causing the one he was currently eyeing to hop away with an alarmed croak. Goku and Goten laughed together as they watched the frog hopping away in a panic.

"Goku? Is that really you?" A burly voice asked from the house. Goku looked over her shoulder to see the ever-smiling face of her father-in-law approaching. She was shocked by how large he was. She didn't remember him looking that big since she was a kid.

"Ox King!" She exclaimed happily as she stood to meet him.

"Wow! And I was so impressed when Chi-Chi brought me a son-in-law all those years ago. I never thought she could give me a daughter-in-law, too!" The Ox King let out a booming laugh as he slapped Goku hard on the back. It was a good thing she was so strong; most people would have been sent flying by that force. "I hardly believed it when Chi-Chi told me, but it really is you, isn't it?" The Ox King added as they walked into the house together. Goku nodded in agreement as she smiled at the familiar sight of Chi-Chi's back as she stood over the stove, stirring a pot of soup.

"Hey, Chi-Chi!" Goku said as she sat at the table out of habit. Chi-Chi immediately stiffened, pausing her stirring at the familiar address. Never a good sign. Goku frowned warily, but did not have long to wonder before Chi-Chi's outburst began.

"Goku! What are you doing here?!" She yelled as she spun around, scowling and pointing her soup-covered spoon at Goku accusingly. Goku grimaced and leaned back in her chair fearfully, before stumbling out of her seat and preparing to back right out of the house.

"I…thought I was coming home for a visit!" Goku exclaimed cautiously once she reached the doorway. Chi-Chi marched right up to the door, opening it for Goku.

"No! Not until you're back to your old self, Goku!" Chi-Chi exclaimed stubbornly as she nodded towards the outside and held the door open widely. Goku studied Chi-Chi with a perplexed expression and scratched the top of her head.

"So…it's okay that I'm a woman, but it's not okay for me to come home?" Goku asked, tilting her head in confusion as the Ox King looked on blankly, equally baffled by the exchange.

"Right! You're going to confuse your children! Goten is just comprehending that his father is alive and here to stay. Now you expect him to accept that his father is a woman who will be a man again sometime next year? That is too much for a seven year old to have to deal with, Goku. You need to keep minimal contact with the children until you're back to normal." Chi-Chi said sternly with a firm nod and a hand on her hip. Goku looked at the Ox King questioningly.

"Chi-Chi, honey. I think it would be good for the boys if Goku spent more time around here." The Ox King coaxed with a smile as he placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She quickly shook it off.

"No, Dad! I know how to take care of my babies. Goku should know to trust my judgement. She needs to do what I say now, for the good of our children." Chi-Chi said stubbornly before smiling a small smile at Goku. Goku smiled back with the hopes that Chi-Chi's anger had subsided as Chi-Chi stepped into the living room, reaching in a cupboard for something. "Here." She said as she handed Goku the package she pulled out. "I made you something last night. I hope you like it." Chi-Chi said with a proud smile, which Goku readily accepted and returned.

"Thanks, Chi-Chi." Goku said as she eyed the package curiously. Goku smiled as an idea occurred to her. "Are you sure you want me to leave?" Goku asked, searching for permission more than she was hoping for Chi-Chi to change her mind. Chi-Chi answered by shoving Goku out the door and slamming it behind her. That settled that. Goku shrugged indifferently before taking off into the air. "Bye!" Goku yelled loudly to her family before increasing her speed and zooming quickly to her next destination.

* * *

"Yoo-hoo!" Goku called happily as she landed on a little island and was immediately greeted by the sea turtle sitting on the beach.

"Hi, Goku. How nice to see you." The turtle greeted with a bow of his head as Goku waved and smiled pleasantly, passing the turtle and walking into the house. Master Roshi was already approaching the doorway, having heard Goku's greeting upon her arrival.

"Goku! What are you doing here?" Master Roshi greeted as Goku headed for the table and set her package down. She leaned on the table with one hand and placed the other on her hip as she turned to address the others, who were playing cards at the living room table.

"Hi, Goku! Did you raid Vegeta's closet or something?" Krillin asked, inspecting Goku's Saiyan armor skeptically.

"Yeah, actually, I did." Goku answered with a chuckle. "I was just visiting my house and Chi-Chi kicked me out." Goku added with a shrug, still confused about the whole thing. Krillin, Yamcha and Oolong snickered at the explanation.

"Man, Goku. You told Chi-Chi? You're braver than I thought." Krillin commented as he placed another card down in the pile.

"Well, I didn't exactly tell her. She came to Capsule Corp to find me. She's not angry about me like this actually. She just doesn't want me home." Goku explained as she crossed her arms.

"Your wife is a strange woman." Master Roshi muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "But what's in the package?" Master Roshi asked as he pointed at the package on the kitchen table.

"I don't know. It's something Chi-Chi made for me." Goku said as she turned to the package and opened it curiously. The others all looked on curiously as Goku pulled out some orange fabric. "Alright! Chi-Chi made me a new gi!" Goku exclaimed happily as she held the garment in front of herself. The others smiled and nodded politely, slightly disappointed by the garb.

"So, Goku. Are you hungry?" Master Roshi asked out of the blue. Goku immediately smiled while Krillin raised an eyebrow suspiciously at the old man.

"Yeah! How did you know?" Goku answered happily as she hurried into the kitchen.

"Oh, I have my ways." Master Roshi chuckled as Goku opened the fridge.

"Wow! Look at all this sushi!" Goku exclaimed when she opened the fully stocked refrigerator. Krillin peered over Goku's shoulder, gaping in surprise at the sight. He turned to Master Roshi with a cynical expression.

"We don't usually keep sushi in the house." Krillin muttered as he sat at the kitchen table with Master Roshi quickly joining him as he pulled up a chair as well.

"I had a feeling Goku would be stopping by again sometime soon, so I made sure to buy a nice treat, and plenty of it, enough for all of us to share." Master Roshi explained as Goku turned to face him with a bright smile.

"Thanks, Master Roshi!" She exclaimed as she pulled the sushi out on the counter.

"It does look good." Krillin agreed as he licked his lips, eyeing the tasty assortment. Goku inspected the packaging curiously, then scratched her head as she looked again at the empty shelf on the fridge where the sushi had been.

"Where's your soy sauce, though?"

"Check the bottom shelf, Goku." Master Roshi offered, elbowing Oolong mischievously. Goku bent down to rifle through the bottom shelf, giving the men in the kitchen a great view of her rear end clad in spandex.

"I don't see it." Goku called from the fridge as the men sucked in a sharp intake of breath at the subtle movement of her hips.

"Keep looking. Move some things around." Oolong encouraged, chuckling excitedly.

"It should be there." Master Roshi added, smiling widely as he pulled his glasses down for a better view. Krillin and Yamcha glanced at each other as Yamcha took his seat, feeling doubtful about this whole thing. But they couldn't bring themselves to say anything against it. The view was just too nice! A few minutes later, 18 quietly walked through the front door, returning early from a shopping trip with a sleeping Maron in her arms as Oolong and Master Roshi continued snickering gleefully.

"What are they up to?" 18 asked herself, pursing her lips as she approached the kitchen stealthily. She hid behind a wall, glancing into the kitchen, and was immediately angered by the scene in front of her.

"I'm so hungry! Maybe we don't need the soy sauce." Goku suggested, as Master Roshi hurriedly responded.

"No! We need that soy sauce! It makes the sushi, Goku! You wouldn't want to ruin perfectly good sushi by eating it all wrong, would you?" Goku moaned in discontent, and her stomach growled loudly to echo the sentiment.

"Well, can I at least eat these apples?" Goku asked as she grabbed some from a shelf and shoved them into her mouth without waiting for an answer. The men in the kitchen continued staring, and 18 scowled angrily. She clenched her teeth as she brought Maron upstairs, laying her in bed, before returning downstairs.

Meanwhile, Goku was becoming frustrated with not finding the soy sauce. She heard an abbreviated yell behind her, followed by a few thumps, and stopped looking, rising slightly from her bent position with a questioning "Hm?" She turned around to see 18 standing in the kitchen, Master Roshi and Oolong knocked out on the ground, and Krillin and Yamcha knocked out in their chairs.

"Hi, 18. What happened to them?" Goku asked as she cocked her head in confusion.

"They needed to close their eyes for a while, so I helped them out." 18 explained slyly as she glared at the unconscious men.

"Oh." Goku said as she caught something out of the corner of her eye and smiled. "That's a shame. I just found the soy sauce!" She said as she grabbed it from the refrigerator door and swung the door shut. "I wonder why Master Roshi was so sure that it was on the bottom shelf." She said with a shrug as she set the soy sauce on the counter. 18 shook her head. "What are we going to do about all this sushi now?" Goku asked, licking her lips at the delicious spread on the kitchen counter.

"Tell you what, Goku." 18 said as she walked to the counter, grabbing two rolls for herself. "I'll take these for Maron and myself, and the rest is all yours." She said with a smirk.

"Really?!" Goku asked excitedly.

"Sure. You snooze, you lose, right?" 18 replied over her shoulder as she sauntered out of the kitchen.

"Great! Thanks, 18!" Goku exclaimed as she sprinkled soy sauce all over the sushi.

"Sure thing." 18 replied coolly before turning the corner to head upstairs. Goku smiled widely as she set to work devouring the sushi all by herself.

* * *

Goku spent some time alone on Master Roshi's beach after she finished eating, seeing that everyone else was still knocked out, and 18 and Maron never came downstairs again. She practiced her Kamehameha waves into the ocean and powered up experimentally to test the limits of her new body. Once she felt her hair falling down her back and her power soaring, she was very pleased to realize that with the same amount of exertion she's usually use, she was able to reach Super Saiyan 3. She stood with her hands on her hips in her highest form, gazing at the peaceful shoreline and blazing sunset as a few dolphins jumped through the water.

"Wow. You usually only use that form if there's a threat coming." A voice piped up behind her. Goku turned to face her old friend, happy to see he was awake. He startled when he saw her face, then chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that transformation. It's even more bizarre on a woman." He commented as he studied Goku's face. Goku pursed her lips in surprise before she powered down to her normal form.

"Is that better, Krillin?" She asked with a smile before taking a seat in the sand and removing her boots to let the tide rush over her toes.

"Yeah." Krillin sighed, sounding relieved as he sat beside her. Krillin turned to Goku with a guilty expression on his face. "Listen, Goku. Maybe, for now, you might not want to spend too much time around here." Krillin warned with a frown.

"What do you mean, Krillin?" Goku asked innocently, searching out her friend's downcast eyes.

"I mean, well, you know…" Krillin stammered as a light blush formed on his cheeks.

"You don't want me around?" Goku assumed, thinking this related to the earlier conversation with Chi-Chi for some reason.

"N-no! No!" Krillin exclaimed hastily, shaking his upturned hands as he frowned at Goku's assumption. "We love having you here, Goku. It's just…some of us love having you here a little _too _much, if you know what I mean." Krillin trailed off the end of his statement as he narrowed his eyes accusingly towards the house. Goku frowned towards the shoreline as she attempted to decipher his meaning.

"Oh! You mean because I'm a girl!" Goku exclaimed loudly as she smiled slyly at Krillin. Krillin blushed with his hands in his lap, nodding intently. Goku nodded thoughtfully, turning her attention back towards the sunset. "I never thought I'd have to worry about that." Goku mused as she placed her hands on the ground behind her, leaning back and basking in the heat of the setting sun. Krillin gulped at the sight of the beautiful woman next to him, the sun highlighting her features in an impressive light and the outline of her body against the backdrop of the water looking like perfection.

"You definitely do now." Krillin blurted out before anxiously glancing over his shoulder for the probable presence of his wife, who would be very angry to hear that admission. Goku stood with a sigh and cast a resigned look upon her friend.

"I'm heading back to Capsule Corporation. It's getting close to dinner time, anyways." Goku informed Krillin. "But I'll still see you around, Krillin." She looked back towards the house, smirking as she thought to herself. "If I'm going to be a woman for another ten months, I'll have to learn to handle things like all the other girls do." Krillin stared at Goku, dumbfounded for a moment before he stood, still staring at his friend.

"O-okay, Goku. Tell Bulma and the gang that we say hi." Krillin said, waving as Goku slowly ascended into the sky.

"Sure. Bye, Krillin!" Goku exclaimed as she sped off, spraying water in her path as she moved at an incredible speed, still hovering close to the water.

* * *

The muted sounds of gunfire and blasting explosions echoed through the living room of Capsule Corporation. A blue-haired woman marched into the room, yelling irately.

"Trunks! I told you it's time for din-" She immediately cut herself off when she realized her son was not alone.

"Yeah, I heard you. But Goku said she would beat me on this next level." The boy said as he spared only a moment to glance over his shoulder at his mother before returning his attention to the video game. "I told her there was no way." He added arrogantly.

"Goku! You're back!" The blue haired woman exclaimed, running around the couch to face the two people who were intently focused on the screen.

"Yeah, but-" Goku cut herself off to wave Bulma aside with a forceful gesture. "Bulma, can you move?!"

"Yes!" The boy hissed as he threw his controller on the couch, standing proudly before marching towards the kitchen.

"Thanks, Bulma." Goku muttered facetiously as she reluctantly placed her controller on the couch, scowling at the woman in front of her.

"Well, excuse me!" Bulma exclaimed haughtily as she placed her hands on her hips. "I was worried about you, Goku. When you were gone all day, I thought you were disappearing into the woods on us again like you did that other day." Goku frowned apologetically. It was nice to hear that someone cared about her, no matter how unreasonable it seemed.

"No, Bulma. I won't be doing that again. It was a one-time thing." Goku said as she smiled widely at her friend. "I think you said something about dinner?" She prompted, nodding towards the kitchen expectantly. Bulma nodded in agreement.

"Yes. Let's get in there before Trunks and Vegeta eat everything." Bulma agreed as she walked into the kitchen fast, but not nearly as fast as Goku. They joined the table, Goku immediately shoveling food down quickly as Trunks and Vegeta were already far into their meal with a head start. Bulma grabbed just enough food for her much daintier appetite and ate a few bites quietly before nudging Vegeta. Vegeta grunted reprimandingly at her, not enjoying the interruption in his dinner. All it took was a harsh scowl from Bulma for Vegeta to reluctantly throw down his utensils, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Kakarot." Vegeta called at Goku, who was too busy shoveling down food to notice. "Kakarot!" He repeated irritably. Goku stopped abruptly, looking up in surprise with her mouth full. She quickly swallowed her food in one big gulp before wiping her face and meeting Vegeta's eyes. Vegeta exchanged a look with Bulma, frowning before speaking again as she gave him an insistent look. "You tell her!" Vegeta groused at Bulma before returning to his meal. Goku's eyebrows lifted in surprise, her interest piqued by whatever Vegeta was so reluctant to say.

"I found out what happened this morning with the gravity chamber, Goku." Bulma said as she glared at Vegeta reproachfully. "And Vegeta needs to learn to share. So I altered a few things." Bulma added with a conceited smile as her voice raised a pitch.

"Altered a few things?" Goku repeated slowly as she carefully eyed Vegeta and Bulma. Vegeta growled quietly, his volume increasing before he slammed a fist on the table and addressed Goku.

"She made it so the damn thing won't work unless there are at least two life forms inside it!" Vegeta complained.

"Really?" Goku asked in utter surprise.

"Yes." Vegeta replied. "So you need to be in that gravity chamber by seven o'clock tomorrow morning, Kakarot. My training will not wait for you!" Vegeta ordered, staring warningly at Goku. Goku smiled hesitantly, then her expression turned into a smug smile as she leaned back in her chair and placed her hands behind her head.

"Actually, Vegeta. You don't have much of a choice, do you?" Goku teased as Vegeta scowled furiously at her audacity. Goku chuckled rebelliously as she leaned forward and resumed eating her meal, finishing just moments later. Bulma, Trunks, and Dr. Briefs looked at each other worriedly. Bulma wondered if fixing things for those two to train together was such a great idea. They might kill each other before they make it past a day of training.


	10. Training Bra

Marching outside with determination, Vegeta rubbed his stomach satisfactorily as he prepared to begin his training for the day. He opened the door to the gravity chamber and habitually began entering the settings on the machine until an alarm beeped harshly at him.

"What?" Vegeta asked, his eyes widening in surprise as he glanced up towards the flashing warning lights on the ceiling. The video monitor suddenly lowered and the beautiful woman he had just had breakfast with popped up on the screen, glowering at him and wearing an arrogant smirk.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Vegeta?" She challenged, wagging a finger at him.

"Training! What do you think I'm doing?" Vegeta replied. But as soon as the response escaped his mouth, the reasoning behind the alarm came to his mind. Bulma smirked victoriously at the change in his expression at the realization.

"It doesn't look like you'll be doing any training like that." Bulma replied smugly as Vegeta clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

"Where is Kakarot?!" He yelled impatiently.

"Calm down, Vegeta! She-" Bulma began as something appeared next to Vegeta in a flash, making him jump.

"Morning, Vegeta! I'm ready!" Goku exclaimed cheerfully from right next to him as she began some stretching and lunges. Vegeta groaned and rolled his head back after seeing the perky attitude of the Saiyan next to him. And she was wearing that eyesore of an orange gi. Vegeta was certain that he wouldn't need to see that again for a long time once Goku became a woman. Who would make one of those to fit a woman's body? Vegeta sneered distastefully at the garb before returning his attention to the video screen, where Bulma's mother was pushing Bulma aside as if she had something urgent to tell the Saiyans.

"Have fun! And don't forget! Lunch will be ready at noon!" The ditzy blond exclaimed cheerfully with a wave.

"Mom. Goku and Vegeta do _not _need to be reminded about lunch time." Bulma said pointedly as she pushed her mother aside, fuming at the woman for interrupting her.

"Oh! Isn't that funny, just like the other Goku!" Mrs. Briefs giggled from the background as Bulma opened her mouth to speak to Vegeta again. Before another word was mentioned, Vegeta cut the video off and returned to setting the gravity controls, now that the damn machine was going to cooperate.

As the programming initiated, a group of spherical metallic machines flew out from hidden compartments in the wall, and Goku jumped around and yelped in surprise as she watched the rapidly moving devices zoom into place around her. Vegeta snickered when one bumped Goku in the butt and she yelped even louder as she jumped away from the stimulation and clasped both hands protectively over her rear.

"Vegeta! Wha-what are these things?!" Goku asked in alarm as she resumed dodging the last few that flew into place. Vegeta had easily avoided any collisions with the bots, being conditioned to this type of training. He studied Goku calculatedly and, as an idea occurred to him, decided having her here today might not be so bad.

"Dr. Briefs developed these bots to assist with my training. In addition to the gravity simulation, they simulate attacks from an enemy." Vegeta explained, his head held high and back turned to Goku as he spoke proudly of his training equipment. When no reply was uttered from his usually-talkative counterpart, Vegeta turned to face her suspiciously. He gaped for a moment at the sight of her curiously inspecting and poking at one of the bots, then growled with annoyance at her lack of attention. "Kakarot! Pay attention!" Vegeta scolded. Goku cocked her head one last time at the bot before finally giving Vegeta her full attention with a bright smile.

"So these things are going to attack us?" She asked excitedly as she stepped up to Vegeta.

"No." Vegeta answered shortly as he pushed some buttons on the controls. "They're going to attack _you_. So am I." Vegeta answered with a wicked smirk as Goku stared back, perplexed. The bots lit up and Vegeta powered up to ascended Super Saiyan, Goku quickly doing the same with a wary expression on her face.

* * *

Outside the gravity chamber, Dr. and Mrs. Briefs were walking arm in arm when a series of violent explosions sounded off and the gravity chamber beside them shook violently. The older couple jumped back and gasped at the surprising level of violence taking place inside the chamber. Dr. Briefs' little black cat yowled and crawled down his back fearfully.

"They're going to destroy all of that equipment!" Dr. Briefs exclaimed in astonishment. They stared for a while as the activity continued. Suddenly, the noises ceased, and the chamber was still. Dr. Briefs and Mrs. Briefs exchanged a questioning glance. Dr. Briefs simply shrugged as they resumed their walk, glancing one last time over his shoulder as they walked away.

* * *

"Kakarot! It's lunch time." Vegeta exclaimed, his arms crossed as he kicked her gently in another attempt at rousing the woman back to consciousness. That final attempt worked, as Goku's eyes shot open upon hearing the word 'lunch'. She sat up slowly, rubbing the back of her aching head as she scowled at Vegeta.

"You were supposed to train with me today, Vegeta." Goku scolded as she rested on one elbow and glared at the sweaty man who stood with a towel draped around his neck.

"I was supposed to share the gravity room with you, Kakarot. Nobody said anything about training." Vegeta answered, smiling slyly as he tossed the other Saiyan a senzu bean. Goku caught the bean and ate it, slowly standing as Vegeta approached the doorway to the gravity chamber. Vegeta startled just before reaching the door when he felt the crushing sensation of increased gravity. He turned with a frown to see Goku at the controls, glaring at him challengingly.

"Let's see if you can knock me out again, without the help of those bots this time." Goku challenged, her tone implying that Vegeta had no chance of pulling that off. Vegeta scoffed in disbelief, his mouth agape as he watched his opponent carefully. Vegeta chuckled to himself. She couldn't possibly want to skip lunch.

"What's so funny?" Goku queried as she cocked an eyebrow at him.

"A tough decision for us Saiyans." Vegeta commented as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at Goku competitively, a small smile playing on his face. "Food or fight." Goku chuckled huskily as she inclined her head towards the sack of beans tucked in Vegeta's armor.

"Don't you know, Vegeta?" She asked with a smirk. "Senzu beans are very filling. Have one." Goku added insistently as she assumed a fighting stance. Vegeta raised his eyebrows in surprise as he absently clutched the small bag of senzu. He stared at the bag thoughtfully for a moment, then smirked as he popped one in his mouth. He sighed in satisfaction as the bean went down and assumed a stance to mirror Goku's.

"We can skip lunch."

* * *

A few minutes into the riveting fight, the video screen lowered and Bulma shouted through the machine to the two fighting Saiyans. She growled furiously after they continued ignoring her, and Trunks jumped in front of her, yelling excitedly as he observed the fight taking place inside the gravity chamber. He cheered for his father and commented to his mother about the fight. Vegeta refused to allow any of it to distract him; he was determined to knock out this woman. He would not let her get away with challenging him like that. Goku was equally absorbed in the fight, enjoying herself immensely as she countered every move Vegeta threw at her. She wondered why she didn't spar with Vegeta more often. This fight was possibly more fun than any she'd had before. Bulma finally gave up on getting their attention, as she had learned years ago that it is practically impossible to tear a Saiyan from a fight. She rolled her eyes as the video turned off, the screen retracting into the ceiling as the fight carried on without missing a beat.

* * *

Hours later, the video screen lowered again, revealing Bulma staring in open-mouthed disbelief at the scene playing out before her, which was remarkably similar to the scene she had seen earlier, except now the Saiyans were beaten and bloodied, their clothing a bit torn and ragged. Bulma squinted and looked closer as she noticed something, then gasped and began screaming for Goku's attention. The two Saiyans grimaced at the shrill sound, so she knew they could hear her, even though they were continuing to ignore her.

Now she was angry. She was putting her foot down. Bulma Briefs would not be ignored, not even by a couple of power hungry Saiyans. She grabbed a device from the counter, something she kept around for these occasions, because this happened often with Vegeta. She remotely turned off the gravity, enjoying the shocked expressions on their faces when they both were thrown out of balance by the sudden change in gravity and flew violently into the ceiling. Bulma smiled proudly as the Saiyans landed on the ground with a thud, looking towards her in disbelief. The fight was finally over.

"Why can I never fight Kakarot without someone interrupting us?!" Vegeta instantly complained to his wife as he shook a clenched fist towards the screen. Bulma scowled angrily at Vegeta before turning her attention to Goku. She gestured with her hands as if pulling a jacket closed over her chest, raising her eyebrows insistently as Goku looked back with a blank stare. Goku was baffled as she looked at Vegeta with a shrug before turning her attention back to figuring out what Bulma was trying to tell her. In the moment that Goku looked his way, she caught Vegeta's attention enough for him to catch one detail he had been completely overlooking while locked into the fight.

He was perfectly cognizant the whole time that he was fighting against Goku, but was not considering the fact that this was the new Goku, and the new Goku's body would not accommodate the usual damage that would be inflicted on her flimsy gi during a fight. How could he not have noticed? The last bit of shredded material tore, sliding down Goku's chest as she leaned forward to address Bulma. Vegeta clapped a hand over his eyes as his cheeks brightened and he grimaced uncomfortably under the gaze of his wife who looked on at the scene before her on video. Bulma growled with frustration.

"Cover yourself up, you dummy!" Bulma screamed at Goku, who dropped her mouth in shock at Bulma's outburst before looking down to inspect herself. Goku startled when she recognized her torn gi, the sensation of the exposure something she was so accustomed to that it did not even occur to her. One breast was completely exposed, the silky white skin beneath the fabric evident, and the material just barely hanging on one shoulder threatened to completely expose her at any moment. She looked to Vegeta to see him looking cautiously between two fingers of the hand covering his eyes, trying to look towards the video screen, though it was obvious that her appearance was very distracting to him. Goku's hands flew to her chest, clutching around herself as she blushed slightly and chuckled nervously at the odd situation. Bulma scoffed incredulously, shaking her head at the scene before her as she finally turned off the video, leaving the Saiyans to deal with the situation themselves. She couldn't babysit Goku forever. The girl would have to figure these things out for herself sooner or later, and Bulma was already at her limit with the Saiyans after their into-the-evening battle. Goku looked at Vegeta hesitantly as the video screen retracted into the ceiling again to see him frozen in his spot. After a few minutes of sitting there, unsure what to do with herself, Goku stood, keeping her arms in contact with her chest as she uncomfortably shifted side to side on her feet.

"Hey, Vegeta…" She said warily to the man who remained seated and blinded by his hand. "I'm…gonna go now. I'll see you back at the house." Goku said slowly as she walked to the door, stepping carefully over Vegeta. Vegeta sighed heavily before opening his mouth to speak.

"Kakarot." Vegeta said just before Goku reached the door, turning his head away from her.

"Hm?" Goku asked absently as she debated how she'd get into her bedroom without any problems looking the way she did.

"Next time…you can borrow my armor. Just…don't wear that gi again." Vegeta said as he shuddered at the replayed image in his head of the rather beautiful, attractive breasts on his greatest opponent.

"Yeah." Goku agreed, a smile finally gracing her face as the tension was slightly eased by their minute interaction. "Hey, Vegeta?" Goku called as she hesitated by the doorway.

"What?" Vegeta asked bluntly, getting tired of waiting for her to leave now. It was very uncomfortable having a conversation with someone you couldn't look at.

"That was a good fight today." Goku said, smiling as she slipped through the door and sped into the house. Vegeta nodded in agreement. It was a very good fight.


	11. Flirting With Trouble

"Don't forget the balloons, we need lots of balloons." Goku looked up at the bossy voice, nodding her head dully, her chin resting on her forearms as she sat with her head laid on the table in front of her.

"Oh! How about a roller coaster? We can rent one of those!" The other woman exclaimed excitedly as she grabbed her pad of paper and scribbled aggressively, scooching her chair forward.

"Really? Bulma, that must be so expensive!" The first woman exclaimed breathily, starry-eyed with anticipation of the upcoming event.

"Not for us." Bulma responded arrogantly. Goku groaned as she flopped her head to the side. Maybe she could fall asleep and they wouldn't notice.

"Goku!" Goku sat up suddenly to see the other two women scowling at her. "Are you helping us or not?" The question's phrasing did not match its tone. Goku was pretty sure she was expected to answer yes to Bulma's question.

"Yes?" Goku answered reluctantly. She smiled as she caught sight through the doorway of two little boys running past.

"Good!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, standing from the table and heading for the door. "I am going to check out your kitchen, Bulma. You can't have a party without good food, especially with this group." Chi-Chi laughed before exiting the room.

"Alright. Goku." Bulma stated seriously as she read over her list. "I need to call the amusement parks, the fireworks store, the entertainers….hmm…." Bulma rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Uh-huh." Goku said as she glanced at Bulma warily, noticing her inattention as she was deep in thought with her eyes focused on the paper in front of her.

"And I'm going to order that huge fountain of bar-b-cue sauce with meat for dipping, I'm sure _you'll_ love that."

"Uh-huh." Goku replied absently again as she slowly stood from her seat.

"I'll get a magician, but it can't be just any magician. I'll get the best!" Bulma exclaimed proudly as she scribbled again. "And I'm going to dress you for the party, Goku. No arguing!"

"Uh-huh." Goku said, watching Bulma over her shoulder as she tiptoed towards the door.

"So we have the roller coaster, the magician, the bar-b-cue fountain, the dance team, the trapeze, and of course the toys! Can't forget the toys!" Bulma smiled as she wrote her last notes. "So what do you think? I'm not spoiling Trunks too much, am I?" Bulma placed one finger to her chin thoughtfully as she waited. She glanced up from her paper when there was no reply. She looked at the table where Goku sat, then towards the door with a groan.

"Goku!" Bulma yelled angrily as she shook her head at the disappearance. She returned her attention to her list with a smile. "No. Of course it's not too much." Bulma decided with a smile as she left the room to join Chi-Chi in the kitchen.

* * *

"Hey, kids!" Goku yelled once she escaped Bulma and Chi-Chi and reached the boys she had been chasing after. She found Trunks and Goten upstairs in Trunks' room, playing in a mountain of toys. Upon hearing Goku's voice, Trunks immediately threw the toy he held aside and straightened up.

"Goku!" Trunks exclaimed in surprise as Goten glanced up from his playing with a smile.

"Dad!" Goten exclaimed, dropping his toy and running into Goku's arms for a hug. Goku smiled and held Goten for a moment before setting him back down. "I thought I wasn't allowed to see you." Goten said sadly, glancing past Goku to make sure she was alone.

"Yeah." Goku admitted, rubbing the back of her head with one hand on her hip. "But if you can keep a secret, so can I." Goku said with a wink and a smile. Goten laughed happily, until Trunks cleared his throat.

"I'm not so good with secrets. What's in it for me if I keep quiet about this?" Trunks threatened with a smirk. Goku laughed in disbelief, then shook her head. He certainly was Vegeta's son.

"Well, I was going to see if you kids wanted to do something _really_ fun, unless you're too busy with your toys, Trunks." Goku added teasingly. Trunks frowned and crossed his arms, while Goten beamed at Goku's offer.

"Something fun like what? Like what?" Goten asked as he jumped excitedly.

"Uh…I don't know." Goku admitted as she scratched her chin. Goten and Trunks fell over comically in disbelief.

"Maybe we can get in a spaceship and blast off into space!" Trunks suggested.

"Or we could go to an amusement park!" Goten added with a huge smile.

"An amusement park?" Trunks asked dubiously, raising an eyebrow at Goten.

"Yeah! An amusement park!" Goku agreed, giving Goten a thumbs up. "Come on!" She added as she turned to leave the room, waving the kids along with her. "Now, we just have to be careful to leave here quietly. If someone finds out, we may not be able to go." Goku said quietly and cautiously as the boys followed suit.

"Kakarot!" Goku immediately stiffened, grimacing at the address. "Just what do you think you're doing?" Goku turned slowly to face Vegeta, who stood with his arms crossed at the other end of the hall, scowling at the small group. Trunks and Goten lowered their heads disappointedly, frowning back at Vegeta.

"Nothing." Goku lied with a small smile. Vegeta frowned dubiously at Goku, then looked down at the boys.

"Trunks. Where were you going?" Vegeta asked harshly, making Trunks jump nervously.

"Uhhh…" Trunks hesitated, fearful of lying to his father, but not wanting to ruin his chances of going to an amusement park.

"We were just going to an amusement park." Goku explained, smiling warily as Vegeta's frown deepened.

"I thought you were supposed to stay away from the children today." Vegeta stated suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at Goku.

"Yeah, but Vegeta, you don't care about that." Goku waved it off and laughed as Vegeta continued frowning, unamused. "You can come, too." Goku offered with a smile as Vegeta balked at the suggestion. "If you don't tell Chi-Chi and Bulma, I'll owe you a favor." Goku offered. Vegeta frowned thoughtfully for a moment as Trunks and Goten exchanged a hopeful look.

"Fine." Vegeta suddenly agreed as Goku and the kids smiled and began turning to leave. "But Kakarot! Don't forget, I will be calling in that favor." Vegeta warned ominously. Goku gulped nervously before nodding her head in understanding. She had no idea what Vegeta had in mind, but his tone scared her.

* * *

"Ah, Vegeta!" Bulma exclaimed from her seat at the table, smiling at the passing form of her husband in the doorway. Vegeta paused and took a few steps back, reluctant to be disturbed. "Where is Trunks? I want to show him some of these plans for his birthday party." Bulma said as Chi-Chi sat next to her, sorting through brochures and advertisements as they were in the process of making those phone calls Bulma mentioned earlier.

"How am I supposed to know?" Vegeta grumbled as he attempted to leave.

"Vegeta!" Bulma scolded angrily, making the man reluctantly retreat again. "You're telling me you haven't seen Trunks?" Bulma asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Vegeta.

"Is Kakarot's stupidity rubbing off on you, Bulma? I just told you I don't know where he is." Vegeta replied gruffly before quickly leaving without giving Bulma another chance to question him. Bulma turned to Chi-Chi, biting her lip thoughtfully.

"Chi-Chi." Chi-Chi glanced up from the brochures, looking wide-eyed at Bulma. "I'm going to check on the boys. I have a strange feeling about this." Bulma said distrustfully as she stood from the table. Chi-Chi gaped at Bulma's suggestion as she silently watched her friend leave. Chi-Chi crossed her arms and sat at the table, pondering over what Bulma suggested. Goku disappeared two or three hours earlier, and Chi-Chi knew how he-no, she could be. Chi-Chi's face became determined as she stood from the table and marched outside after Vegeta. She decided Bulma wasn't going to find the boys where they should be, and she knew exactly who was to blame. And Vegeta probably knew something he wasn't telling them.

* * *

Three people flew through a dusky sky towards Capsule Corporation, holding balloons and cotton candy and laughing together as they recounted the great day they had. As they closed their distance, the woman looked seriously at the children. "Okay, you two. We have to ditch the balloons and cotton candy before someone sees us." She said conspiratorially as the boys nodded sadly in understanding.

"Bye, balloons." Goten said, waving to the floating spheres as they drifted away. Trunks shoved the cotton candy in his mouth, finishing off the last of it in one big bite before tossing the paper cone in the air and blasting it with a shot of ki until it disintegrated.

Goku stretched contently in the air as they gracefully descended, landing in the yard of Capsule Corporation. She startled when she realized someone might see her there with the boys. "I had fun today, kids. Next time we'll remember to bring some money, though." Goku snickered through her teeth. "I kinda forgot about that. It's a good thing we know how to find money in a pinch." Goku looked around a bit anxiously, then gestured for the boys to head inside.

"Bye, Dad." Goten said quietly with a wave as he marched into the house, followed by Trunks.

"Bye." Goku said with a bright smile before flying up to a balcony of Capsule Corporation, looking for another way inside. After trying a few doors, she finally found one open and carefully slipped inside the barely lit room as the sun was setting and daylight hardly illuminated the inside.

"And where have you been all day?" Goku shrunk back at the terrifying address of her wife's voice from the shadows. The lights flicked on, revealing the woman's beautiful, furious face as Goku smiled weakly back at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay to help you plan the party." Goku admitted with a guilty shrug. Chi-Chi growled furiously as she marched up to Goku, who recoiled until she was against the wall.

"Oh yeah?! How about sorry for sneaking away with our son all day?" Chi-Chi yelled as she grabbed Goku by the collar of her t-shirt. Goku frowned deeply and gasped at Chi-Chi's accusation. "You took him to an amusement park?! I told you to stay away from him until you're changed, Goku!" Chi-Chi yelled exasperatedly as she released Goku harshly. Goku noticed movement in the doorway and glanced past Chi-Chi's shoulder to see Goten standing there with a nervous expression. He was definitely in trouble. Now Goku felt bad. She never meant to get the kids in trouble.

"Aww, Chi-Chi, don't be mad at Goten. It was my idea." Goku pleaded. Chi-Chi sighed heavily and rubbed her head before glancing back at Goten, who smiled hopefully up at his mother. When Goku saw Goten smiling hopefully at his mother, she sighed in relief. Her relief was short-lived as Chi-Chi spun on her, an angry glare turned on Goku again.

"I won't punish the children for your bad example, Goku. But you better keep your distance at Trunks' birthday party, or I'll have to take Goten home early, and he'll miss all the fun. They're going to have a roller coaster at the party!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, obviously impressed and excited herself about the fabulous party Bulma had planned.

"I won't bother Goten at the party! Promise!" Goku agreed readily as she clapped her hands together, smiling a wide, toothy smile at her wife in appreciation. Chi-Chi frowned at Goku before placing a hand on her hip and nodding her agreement.

"Fine. We're leaving now. Goodnight, Goku. I'll see you at the party." Chi-Chi said with a warning tone as she met Goten at the door, clasping her hand around his. The pair walked off, Goten waving weakly at Goku as they left, and Goku sighed in relief. She went downstairs to join the Briefs family for dinner, wondering just how angry Bulma might be.

The family was already gathered in the kitchen, just waiting for Goku to join them before setting out the meal. Goku smiled hopefully at Bulma, who only pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow at Goku before taking her seat with her back to Goku. Goku shrugged as she assumed her own seat next to Trunks, and Vegeta sat across from her, Bulma's parents at the ends of the table. They all dug into their food quietly, Dr. and Mrs. Briefs passing inane chatter across the table as Goku kept a watchful eye on Bulma, expecting an outburst at any moment. Goku glanced at Trunks, smiling at the happy expression on the boy's face as he ate. Maybe Bulma wasn't angry if Trunks wasn't being punished. Goku turned her attention to Bulma again, who was still eating silently, avoiding eye contact with Goku. Goku smiled hesitantly, just before Bulma slammed her palm on the table.

"I cannot believe you kidnapped my son today, Goku!" Bulma yelled loudly out of nowhere. Goku cringed at the rebuking before turning her attention to Vegeta. This was his entire fault. He must have told them. She forced an appeasing expression on her face as she turned to Bulma again.

"I took him to an amusement park. We had fun, Bulma." Goku explained with a relaxed smile. Bulma growled and turned her attention to Trunks.

"And I spent my day planning a great birthday party for you. Now how can I expect you to be excited about all the things I planned when you just spoiled it by doing something so fun today?" Bulma complained, bitterly disappointed. Trunks smiled warmly at his mother.

"Mom, I'm sure the party will be great. You won't see _me_ complaining." Trunks added with a sly smile. Bulma smiled at her son before turning her attention to Goku again.

"You!" She said as she pointed a finger at Goku, interrupting her parents' conversation as her finger came between them and they stared at her in surprise. "You need to start following some rules around here, Goku! Chi-Chi may put up with your crap, but I won't!" Bulma warned with a stern look before returning to her meal. Goku gulped nervously. She returned to her meal, looking up from her plate again after only a few minutes. She stopped eating for a moment when she noticed Vegeta in front of her, staring at her. She sent him a questioning glance as he continued staring, but returned to her meal and ignored him. She didn't know what his problem was, but she wouldn't let him ruin her meal or get her into more trouble with Bulma.

* * *

Goku dressed for bed after dinner, getting ready to go to sleep when there was a knock at her door. She answered it quickly, swinging it wide open to find Vegeta waiting by it, leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. She felt that fluttery feeling in her stomach again but tried to ignore it as she welcomed him in.

"Are you ready to hear the favor I'm going to ask of you, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked as he entered the room, brushing past her. Goku frowned at Vegeta's back.

"Vegeta, there's not going to be any favor." She replied crossly as Vegeta spun around to face her with an incredulous expression.

"What? I never thought you were the type to back out on your word, Kakarot." Vegeta said accusingly. Goku shook her head in refusal.

"I said I'd owe you one if you didn't tell Chi-Chi and Bulma, remember?" Goku said, raising a finger at Vegeta in reminder. Vegeta's face faltered, and he huffed with frustration. "You told." Goku said with certainty as she crossed her arms again. Vegeta sneered at Goku, then shrugged irritably.

"Your wife is frightening." Vegeta admitted quietly, to which Goku laughed heartily.

"I know. So Chi-Chi got it out of you, huh?" Goku asked as she sat on the bed casually, sitting cross-legged and unaware of her panties being revealed from beneath her sleepshirt by her sitting position. Vegeta looked down at Goku, raising his eyebrows at what he saw. He quickly sat next to her, pushing her over to make room for himself and to make her change her position to cover herself as he spoke.

"I still want a favor." Vegeta said sternly. Goku glanced over her shoulder, smiling at Vegeta slyly.

"If you want a favor, you've got to do something to earn it first. You do know how favors work, don't you, Vegeta?" Goku added playfully. Vegeta smirked before meeting Goku's eyes. She was smiling happily at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and her face was only inches from his. He inhaled sharply at the sensation he felt in that moment, and Goku bumped him playfully with her shoulder, her smile widening.

His eyes were drawn to those beautiful lips, followed by her sudden change in visage. She seemed to be breathing shallowly, her eyes widening as she absorbed the way he was looking at her. "I can earn that favor." Vegeta said huskily as Goku blinked, gaping at him. Vegeta smiled smugly at her reaction as he stood from the bed. Goku's eyes were trained on Vegeta as he headed for the door. She sat there speechlessly as he left the room, smiling to himself.


	12. Ready?

"Morning, Vegeta. Ready for training?" Goku asked as she stood in her Saiyan armor in the gravity chamber, cocking an eyebrow at Vegeta as he closed the door behind him. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her and smirked as he rubbed his nose with his thumb before settling into a fighting position.

"When am I not ready, Kakarot?" Vegeta replied arrogantly as Goku assumed her own fighting stance, and with a simple nod, both silently agreed to begin. They powered up to ascended Super Saiyan before beginning a short spar. After that, they followed by using Dr. Briefs' bots, which Vegeta had willingly showed Goku how to use shortly after Goku's day at the amusement park. That was three weeks ago, and they both had perfected the technique of using the bots to their best advantage.

Vegeta had been unusually generous lately. Goku didn't know what to make of the past few weeks, but she wasn't complaining. She was so used to Vegeta's abrasive personality that these occasional kindnesses were something she was not going to take for granted. There was no telling how long it would last. Vegeta huffed as he consulted the panel for the time.

"We should have just enough time for one more spar before getting ready for the party." Goku's eyes widened and her mouth dropped.

"Trunks' party is today?!" Goku asked in alarm. "Are you sure?"

"I think I know when my own son's birthday is." Vegeta answered with a curt nod as he adjusted his gloves.

"Do you?" Goku asked sincerely as she cocked a brow at him dubiously. Vegeta growled irritably.

"Yes, you idiot!" He hissed, causing Goku to grimace in response. Vegeta quickly calmed with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Kakarot." He said sincerely as Goku's eyes widened in surprise. That's exactly the behavior he'd been doing lately that Goku couldn't understand. Since when did Vegeta apologize for insulting her? Goku could not utter a reply. She simply nodded with a mystified expression. She glanced at the panel herself and frowned.

"Vegeta, we should have more than enough time for a short spar." Goku commented as she placed her hands on her hips.

"No." Vegeta huffed in disagreement. "Bulma wants a few hours with you. Apparently she needs a lot of time to do her work." Vegeta added with a smirk. Goku grimaced and whimpered at the mention of that.

"I forgot that Bulma wanted to dress me for the party." She lamented as she hung her head and Vegeta chuckled.

"Forget about Bulma. You should be worried about what _I'm_ going to do to you." Vegeta said as he powered up again. Vegeta's change immediately triggered Goku to push all thoughts of dressing up for the party aside as she powered up, readying herself for a good fight.

"Alright, Vegeta. Come on." Goku taunted as she beckoned with a wave of her fingers. Vegeta sprang at Goku, landing a fist in the palm of her hand as she blocked her face and countered with a kick to the head. Vegeta ducked Goku's attack and swung his leg around in an attempt at tripping Goku, but she somersaulted backwards, avoiding the fall. Goku widened her stance, planted her feet and brought her hands together, smirking at Vegeta as she tilted her hands around to her side and formed a ball of ki. Vegeta opened his mouth in shock for a moment before smirking back darkly and extending his arm, with his palm flattened towards Goku.

"Kame…"

"Big…"

"…Hame…"

"…Bang…"

"…Haaaaa!"

"…Attack!"

The gravity room became enveloped in a brilliantly blinding white light as the two powers clashed, the light flickering with chaotic energy as Goku and Vegeta struggled to overpower one another at their current level. The gravity room began to shake and creak under the pressure of the incredible energy, distracting both fighters as they looked up worriedly towards the unstable ceiling.

"Vegeta! The gravity chamber's not going to hold up!" Goku exclaimed. Vegeta grit his teeth as he looked up again, deciding Goku was right. He yelled loudly as he carefully restrained himself, pulling in his power to end the struggle as Goku did the same. They sighed heavily as their ki was re-absorbed, but the chamber continued to shake with small pieces of debris crumbling from the ceiling. Goku and Vegeta watched the ceiling, gasping and bracing themselves as they debated whether it was going to hold or not.

"Ah!" Goku yelled when a large, heavy beam suddenly fell with a loud, metallic thud a few feet away from them. Distracted by that beam, Goku missed the fact that there was another chunk of metal about to fall right on top of her.

"Agh! Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled as he dove into Goku, knocking her out of the way just in time. He landed on top of her, his body protecting her as Goku lay on her back in shock for a moment.

"Thanks, Vegeta." She said breathily as the gravity chamber ceased its creaking and seemed to be stabilizing. They breathed a sigh of relief just as Goku spotted a final, lingering piece of the ceiling coming down just above them, headed straight for Vegeta. She extended her hand and blasted it with a shot of ki before it could reach them, and Vegeta looked over his shoulder, wide-eyed at the small explosion. He turned back to Goku, who was smiling up at him.

"That was fun, huh?" Goku asked as her smile widened. Vegeta chuckled in agreement. He caught Goku's eyes looking into his, that wide-eyed, shining glint on her beautiful, smiling face, and gasped. It was that sensation again, the one that had been haunting him for the past few weeks. He couldn't see Goku in the same light anymore. Those lips looked so soft…he was struck with an overcoming urge to feel them. Before he knew what he was doing, Vegeta leaned into Goku, who inhaled sharply at the move, wiggling slightly in surprise as his lips came closer to hers. He closed his eyes as he felt Goku flinch below him, and his lips met…hair. He pushed up a few inches with a disconcerted expression to get a look at Goku, and see that she had moved her head aside. She was panting nervously and blushing with a frown on her face. He could feel her heart beating erratically against his chest, so he knew she felt something.

But she turned away from _him_! The Prince of all Saiyans! Vegeta growled furiously and punched the ground right by Goku's head, causing her to flinch and shut her eyes tightly as she was reluctant to move, or even look at the vexed prince. Vegeta sprang from the ground, his fist leaving a crater in the metal flooring as he stormed out of the gravity chamber and slammed the door on his way out, which caused more debris to crumble as Goku cautiously assumed a more protective position and yelped.

* * *

"Is everyone here yet?" An impatient birthday boy asked as he rested his chin on his hand, glancing out the window at the spectacular gathering outside.

"Not yet. We're waiting for your mother." His father grumbled crossly, his back to his son and the window as he stood with his arms crossed tightly.

"We're still waiting for Mom and Goku? What are they doing?" Trunks groaned as he clasped his arms around each other harshly, mirroring his father's pose with a pout on his face.

"Hn!" Vegeta scoffed cantankerously, his scowl deepening at the mention of _that_ woman.

"Can't I just get a ride on the roller coaster? Do I really need to wait for Mom?" Trunks asked as he ran to the window, placing his hands on the window sill and face against the glass as he watched the empty coaster rocket into a loop, the operator looking extremely bored as all the guests stood around chatting and laughing. "Papa?" Trunks asked again when there was no answer.

"No! You have to wait, Trunks." Vegeta answered irritably. Trunks glanced at his father with a concerned frown before returning his attention to the party outside, _his_ party, that he was missing. He frowned deeply as he looked towards the stairs again for any sign of them coming down, and his lips turned up in a smile as he finally caught sight of them.

"Yes!" Trunks exclaimed as he jumped down from the window, causing Vegeta to turn in surprise. "Finally! Come on!" Trunks cried as he ran for the door. Bulma and Goku smiled widely at Trunks' antics, though their continued slow pace made him frown again. Vegeta immediately followed Trunks, refusing to look at the other two as he escorted the boy outside, impatient himself with getting this party over with already.

Goku smiled weakly at Bulma as they finished descending the stairs. "Goku, you look fantastic! I can't wait to see everyone's reactions to the magic I worked on you. Who would ever think you could clean up so nice?" Bulma added smugly as she cocked an impressed eyebrow at Goku's getup.

"I don't know, Bulma. This actually isn't as bad as a suit, but it's still not very comfortable." Goku said doubtfully as she reached for the door to the outside, tugging down the hem of her short, fitted red dress. Bulma placed her perfectly manicured hand on Goku's similar one, indicating for her to wait.

"Don't. Whine." Bulma ordered sternly. "I made you look gorgeous, but if you whine and act childish, you'll ruin the whole thing!" Bulma's severe scowl and increase in volume caught Goku's attention, making her frown deeply and nod obediently. After all the hours Bulma made her spend getting ready, she wouldn't risk giving Bulma any reason to work on her any longer. Bulma smiled satisfactorily at Goku's acceptance, and opened the door.

Bulma and Goku walked outside together, where Vegeta and Trunks were waiting so Bulma could make her big announcement for the party to begin, the moment Trunks had been impatiently waiting for. An employee handed over a microphone to Bulma as soon as she stepped outside, and she accepted with a wide smile. Goku was careful not to meet Vegeta's eyes, though he was refusing to look her way anyways.

A few feet in front of them were the tables set out for the dinner. At one round table sat Master Roshi, Oolong and Yamcha with an anonymous woman under his arm, appearing to be guzzling down drinks already. Next to that table were Mister Satan, Videl, Gohan and Buu, chatting and laughing pleasantly. Behind them, Chi-Chi, Ox King and Goten sat together, Goten smiling excitedly at the sight of Trunks finally emerging from inside Capsule Corporation. Krillin, 18 and Maron shared a table next to theirs, both parents tending to their young daughter as they attempted to neatly feed her without ruining her clothing. Next to that table were Dr. Briefs and Mrs. Briefs, chatting privately with a few empty seats where the rest of the Briefs' family would be seated. Many tables were filled with friends of Trunks' from school and their parents, as well as Capsule Corporation employees. At a distant table, canopied by a large tree, sat Piccolo, Tien, Chaotzu and Dende; Dende speaking quietly to the others as they observed everyone else at the party. Mister Satan's adorable puppy ran around the tables, barking excitedly and collecting scraps of food as many of the people in the crowd were already drinking and laughing merrily. Beyond the tables, there was a huge setup of a widespread assortment of food, as well as that huge bar-b-cue fountain Bulma had mentioned. There were also all the other extravagant events and sources of entertainment that Bulma had planned, covering the vast yard of Capsule Corporation as music played, until Bulma started speaking.

"Thank you everyone for coming to Trunks' birthday party!" She exclaimed, raising her hands in the air as everyone cheered and clapped. "Happy Birthday, Trunks!" Bulma added as she turned to her son with a proud smile, who kept his face stern, though he blushed at all the attention he received. "We have plenty of food and drink, a roller coaster, a trapeze, a magician, and plenty of other things for you to enjoy! So let's have fun!" Bulma exclaimed with a laugh as she handed off the microphone to the employee and joined everyone in clapping excitedly. Trunks stepped forward and took a bow before running to meet up with Goten. The two boys instantly ran off to play, despite Chi-Chi's scowl at her son leaving before being excused. She shrugged it off as her father continued speaking to her, and Goku decided to join the party. Goku would have run right for the food, but the sea of people blocked her way, and she was getting a lot of attention.

Vegeta remained standing by the doorway stoically with his arms crossed as he watched Bulma greeting their guests. She was gloating and relishing in the attention she received; Bulma was certainly in her element when dressing up and playing host. Vegeta scowled deeply when he caught sight of Goku and all the attention she was receiving. She was talking to Krillin, who was blushing at her as 18 glared at him. Krillin made a painful exclamation with a jump as 18 moved towards him, narrowing her eyes angrily. Goku stepped back from the table, cocking her head in confusion as she moved to talk to Yamcha and the others at his table. Vegeta grit his teeth at the sight of all those fools ogling _his_…Vegeta shook his head and stormed back into the house, shoving his way through the door as he decided to make his way to the kitchen. He would eat there so he didn't have to see any of them.

* * *

"Hey, Mister Satan. You're looking well." Goku said as she seated herself in Buu's empty seat after the cheerful pink guy headed to the buffet. Mister Satan smiled widely at Goku, pulling a pen from his pocket.

"Ahh, yes. The Champ never rests. And what's your name, sweetheart?" Mister Satan said smugly as he extended his hand with the expectation of receiving something from Goku. She cocked a brow at him and frowned. Gohan and Videl looked at one another, shaking their heads.

"Goku." Goku answered blankly as Mister Satan raised a dubious brow at her.

"Mister Satan, this is my father." Gohan informed him as Videl lightly nudged her father and blushed with embarrassment.

"Remember, Daddy? I told you what happened to Goku." She hissed through her teeth before smiling nervously at Goku.

"Oh! Oh!" Mister Satan exclaimed as he jumped nervously from his seat to shake Goku's hand. "Goku! How are you?" Mister Satan said as he patted Goku's shoulder nervously and retook his seat, looking her up and down curiously. He leaned towards Videl and whispered. "Videl, are you sure this is Gohan's father?" Videl growled in frustration as she adamantly shook her head.

"New girl in Buu's seat." Goku looked over her shoulder to see Buu standing over her, his hands loaded with plates full of food. Her eyes widened at the delicious display. She quickly stood from her seat as the aroma of all those delicious meats reached her nose.

"Sorry, Buu. It's all yours." Goku said as she offered her chair, staring at the food as Buu carried it to the table and sat. "You wouldn't mind giving me a bite of that, would you?" Goku asked as she was already reaching for one of Buu's legs of meat. Buu quickly tore the plate away from Goku's grasp defensively.

"No! Get your own!" Buu exclaimed, sticking his tongue out at Goku. Goku pouted for a moment, then began walking away, speedily sneaking back to grab a small bite once Buu's back was turned to her. She smiled widely as she tossed the food in her mouth, walking to the buffet with her mouth full.

At the buffet, Goku felt like she was in heaven. Bulma always pulled out all the stops for her parties, and it seemed Chi-Chi had even cooked some of Goku's favorites, judging by the spread. Not having the patience to wait to eat, Goku grabbed the foods she wanted along the buffet line, stuffing her face as she traveled down the line.

"Goku!" Goku immediately stopped and swallowed her mouthful as her wife stomped over to her. "You finished off the whole plate of dumplings! Do you know how long I worked on those?" Chi-Chi said as she crossed her arms and glared at Goku. Goku smiled guiltily as she set the one dumpling she hadn't eaten back onto the platter gently.

Chi-Chi suddenly grimaced as she and Goku both turned towards the stage, where Piccolo was attempting to sing karaoke. Goku groaned at the terrible noises that she never even knew Piccolo was capable of creating. She could see with the rate people were drinking, the karaoke only would only get worse as the night progressed. Chi-Chi looked at Goku again, a more amiable expression on her face as she continued chastising calmly.

"Don't worry. You can fix this. Just go inside, into the kitchen. In the refrigerator, there should be more dumplings. Just heat them up and bring them out to replace this empty plate." Chi-Chi said as she abruptly heaved the large, heavy platter into Goku's arms. "And don't eat them!" She added, wagging her finger warningly. Goku looked around dubiously, catching in her sight plenty of wait staff that could help with this.

"Chi-Chi, why do I have to do it?" Goku whined before gasping and looking over her shoulder for Bulma as she remembered the trouble that whining could have caused her. She breathed a sigh of relief when Bulma was nowhere in sight, but Chi-Chi continued looking at Goku sternly.

"Because this was your doing, Goku. Now go inside and fix it." Chi-Chi gave Goku a light shove towards the house, and Goku's mouth turned up in a smile as she sauntered playfully towards the house, taking her time about it.

Once inside, Goku found the dumplings and placed them on the countertop with the empty tray, scratching her head as she wondered how she should go about heating them up. She paced across the kitchen and gasped in shock when she sensed a familiar presence in the kitchen. She glanced warily to the far wall of the kitchen to see Vegeta glaring at her with his arms crossed tightly.

"I hate you." He said in a dangerously low, level tone as Goku's eyes landed on him. Goku hung her head dejectedly, turning her face away as she frowned.

"I know." She said quietly.

"No, you don't." Vegeta disagreed. He rapidly approached her, taking Goku by surprise as he placed his hand around her throat. "You have no idea how I feel!" Vegeta glanced warily towards the doorway where a wait staff member was approaching the kitchen, and swung open the nearest pantry door, leading Goku in by the throat and shutting it so as not to be seen or disturbed. All they could see was the subtle shine of each other's eyes and the light shining through the cracks in the door of the blackened pantry. They could hear the shuffling and clattering of dishes as the waiter worked outside the closet. Goku made a strangled sound as Vegeta squeezed harder on her throat before slowly releasing his hold. Goku immediately took the opportunity to speak.

"Vegeta, what happened earlier, it was my fault." Goku whispered guiltily.

"Of course it was your fault!" Vegeta hissed through his teeth. Vegeta lowered his voice and leaned in threateningly closer to Goku . "You turned away." Goku stepped back and inhaled sharply, both unnerved and surprised by the slight undertone of hurt she heard in Vegeta's intimidating voice. Most people would have probably heard that as a threat, or an accusation, but Goku felt there was so much more to those three words, more than Vegeta probably even intended to tell her.

"I...I...it's not that I didn't want it!" Goku admitted, her cheeks heating fiercely as she appreciated the dark cover of their current location.

"Then why did you turn away?" Vegeta's voice was accusing and skeptical. Goku frowned sadly as she took a deep breath before answering with a shrug.

"What about…Chi-Chi and Bulma?" Goku answered. Vegeta shook his head and groaned irritably at her answer just as they heard the sound of the kitchen door closing as the waiter left the kitchen. Vegeta reached for the closet door, ready to leave Goku as he obviously did not accept her answer. Goku gasped as she realized what he was doing and placed her hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Vegeta!"

"Who do you think you're fooling?" Vegeta accused over his shoulder as he violently shook Goku's hand off of him. "You've never thought of anyone else before when you want something. You wouldn't hold back because of them." Goku bit her lip nervously. When she sensed Vegeta's anger building again, she quickly spoke, pulling him to face her.

"Vegeta, I'm a woman. I feel like a woman, I look like a woman, but I remember being a man. It just makes it…weird." Goku added slowly. "Especially when...when I wanted to kiss you." Vegeta's mouth dropped in surprise at Goku's admission. He was so angry at her for rejecting him. And Goku, of all people, being the one to reject him was infuriating. But if what she was saying was true, he wasn't rejected.

"And that's why you turned away?" Vegeta questioned, his demeanor suddenly lightened as he stepped closer to Goku, inhaling her delicious scent. Goku nodded, before she realized Vegeta probably couldn't see her.

"Yes." She admitted quietly, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest at the strangely vulnerable feeling that one word seemed to arouse.

"It won't be weird." Vegeta replied with a sly smile. He suddenly surprised Goku by fiercely planting his lips against hers. Goku moaned loudly in surprise, her eyes widening as she was startled by the kiss. But once the immediate shock wore off, she was surprised by how nice Vegeta's lips felt, how surprisingly soft and warm they were. She relaxed into Vegeta's arms which were enveloping around her, readily massaging her lips against his. Her mind was racing with so many confusing thoughts, but her body was content with wanting more. She pushed her lips against Vegeta's, kissing him even deeper as she parted her mouth and Vegeta's tongue slipped inside, rubbing sensually against hers as he moaned into her mouth with his own satisfaction. Their eyes were closed off from the darkness, but they did hear a subtle creak from the pantry door.

"Hee hee hee!" Goku and Vegeta froze and parted at the unexpected gleeful chuckle from the wide-eyed, flushed old man at the pantry door, which had opened without their notice. "I definitely have had too much sake!" The old man hiccuped from the doorway as he swung the pantry door shut, leaving them in the dark again. "Now I'm seeing things. Where is that toilet?" His voice carried from the distance as he staggered away from them, and Goku and Vegeta stood in shock.

"I could kill him. He'll never tell anyone what he saw." Vegeta said immediately after he left. Goku scowled reprimandingly at Vegeta, though with the pantry door closed again, the expression fell on blind eyes.

"Vegeta." She said in a scolding tone. "You don't need to worry about Master Roshi. When he gets like that, he doesn't remember anything the next day." Goku said with certainty. Vegeta hummed a pleasant note of satisfaction, content with that answer. "Umm…I should finish heating those dumplings, or Chi-Chi will come looking for me." Goku explained shyly as she pulled free from Vegeta's arms. Vegeta opened the pantry door, stepping out and closing it once Goku was out.

"I'll see you at the party, Kakarot." Vegeta said with a sly smile as he headed out of the kitchen. Goku stood still for a moment, reeling in what just happened. She turned her attention to the pile of dumplings on the counter and frowned.

"He could have at least stayed here to help me with these dumplings." Goku groaned as she crossed her arms before setting to work, returning to the party with a platter full of dumplings, and a head full of confusion.


	13. Runaway Saiyan

It was early morning, the sun was shining brightly outside, and Capsule Corporation was full of visitors who had spent the night after an incredible party. Despite the amount of people inside, the entire place was extremely quiet. The most easily detected noise was a throng of snores from the living room, where most of the visitors slept on the couches and in sleeping bags. The residents of Capsule Corporation and their closest friends inhabited the many guest rooms available at the gigantic home.

Vegeta was one of the first to wake, though he did not leave his room. He lay still in bed, watching the sleeping form of his wife beside him. He lay there for about an hour that morning, thinking things over as he watched the gentle rise and fall of Bulma's chest as she breathed and the subtle pout of her lips as shallow puffs of air escaped her mouth. She was always beautiful, even after a night of heavy drinking. Vegeta cared for her and she was the mother of his child. So why did his mind keep returning to that other woman? The desire to kiss her was too strong to resist last night. Having satisfied that desire, he thought maybe it would be out of his system. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

Footsteps sounded down the hall, passing Bulma and Vegeta's room and drawing his attention. Vegeta sat up suddenly, Bulma reacting slightly to the movement by rolling over and flopping an arm across his torso. Vegeta flinched at the sudden weight landing on him, then bared his teeth in annoyance as his attempt to climb out of bed was hindered by Bulma's steadfast grasp around his waist. Vegeta flung Bulma's arm off himself violently as he stood from the bed. She grunted at the disturbance in her sleep and rolled over with a drop of drool hanging from her mouth. Vegeta snickered at the sight, knowing Bulma would be in bed for most of the day following a party like that.

Vegeta stepped outside the room, barely catching sight of the early riser turning the corner. He frowned as he followed the person, heading in the direction of the kitchen. Once there, Vegeta found Chi-Chi the first one up, making herself at home in the kitchen as she reached for pots and pans beneath the counter.

"What are you doing?" Vegeta asked skeptically as he raised an eyebrow at the unexpected behavior. Chi-Chi rose from the cabinet with a surprised expression and pots in each hand, miraculously not making enough noise with the pots to wake anyone.

"Oh, Vegeta! Good morning!" Chi-Chi said cheerily as she ignored his question and set to work heating the stove and heading for the refrigerator. "Are these all the eggs you have?" Chi-Chi commented with her head in the fridge as Vegeta sat at the kitchen table, carefully regarding her.

"Yes." Vegeta answered bluntly.

"I'm not sure that's going to be enough. Is there anything else you have here for breakfast?" Chi-Chi asked as she pushed the fridge door closed and placed her hands on her hips.

"No." Vegeta answered with a sigh of annoyance. "Why are you doing this? We have machines here to do that for us." Vegeta clarified as Chi-Chi ignored him and began cracking eggs in the pan with a knowing smile.

"I know my Goku always wakes up starving, and I always have plenty of food ready for him in the mornings." Chi-Chi explained proudly as she glanced over her shoulder at Vegeta. "And my husband appreciates my cooking." She added smugly before returning to her work with a pleasant hum. Vegeta scowled at her back.

"You do know your husband is a woman now, right?" He growled irritably at Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi tilted her head in surprise at the remark before speaking again in a teasing tone, smiling smugly to herself.

"Why, Vegeta. With the way you talk, I'd almost think you had a thing for my Goku." She turned to face him with a sly smile. "She did look very beautiful last night, didn't she?" Vegeta scoffed and faltered in disbelief at Chi-Chi's insinuation before glaring back at her. Chi-Chi became stern as she added, "My Goku will always be my Goku, even if she is a woman for now." Vegeta shook his head in annoyance at the woman before noticing another presence entering the kitchen; the bright and cheerful youngest Son of all people. Vegeta was sure the whole Son family would be down first as the smells of frying eggs filled the kitchen. That family didn't need alarm clocks, just Chi-Chi at the stove.

"Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Vegeta!" Goten exclaimed as he jumped into a seat at the table next to Vegeta. Chi-Chi turned and smiled at her son, already having a plate of eggs, among other things she had miraculously whipped together, made up in her hands as she approached the table.

"Good morning, Goten!" She exclaimed with a bright smile as she placed the plate in front of her son before returning to the kitchen. "Would you like some eggs, Vegeta?" Chi-Chi offered from her place at the stove. Vegeta frowned. Even if he wanted eggs, he was not going to ask her for them.

"Of course he does! Give him some eggs, Chi-Chi!" A distant voice suddenly exclaimed happily. Goku rounded the corner, giving Chi-Chi a quick peck on the cheek as she passed, swiftly grabbing a plateful of food for herself. Vegeta didn't know what he disliked more-the small show of affection between Goku and her wife, or the entire attitude Goku displayed, as if nothing happened last night. Goku sat in front of Vegeta, smiling briefly at him and Goten as she began eating. Chi-Chi set a plate in front of Vegeta, which he didn't touch as he stared at Goku. After a few minutes, Goku noticed he wasn't eating and looked up from her plate in surprise.

"Vegeta, are you feeling okay?" She asked casually as Vegeta's frown deepened. Their eyes met and, for only a moment, Vegeta caught a wary look in Goku's eyes before they flickered back to a cheerful expression. "Eat some eggs, you'll feel better." She added with a wide grin before returning to her eating. Vegeta sighed heavily as he watched the others eat. Realizing that he was starving, he reluctantly shoveled down his food before rising from the table and leaving. More people were rising and joining the kitchen, and Vegeta was in no mood for socializing this morning.

* * *

Goku finished brushing and spit into the sink as she placed her toothbrush on the counter, looking at herself in the mirror with both hands bracing the countertop. How was she going to keep this up all day? It was never easy keeping things from Chi-Chi. Goku noticed how drunk many of the guests were by the end of the night last night, including Mister Satan and Gohan, who were likely to be sleeping it off here for most of the day. Which meant Chi-Chi and the rest of their family would be hanging around Capsule Corporation for a while. And then there was Vegeta. Goku shook her head and ran the water, splashing it on her face before sighing heavily and toweling off. She opened her eyes with a gasp as she caught sight in the mirror of the man on her mind standing against the wall behind her. She spun around suddenly as he approached her, looking angry.

"V-Vegeta!" Goku exclaimed as she took a step back from his advance.

"Kakarot." Vegeta responded coolly as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?" Goku exclaimed with a nervous chuckle as Vegeta stepped right in front of her, taking her breath away.

"Like you're trying to forget what happened last night." Vegeta answered, his expression fading from anger to appreciation as he looked Goku up and down. Goku licked her lips subconsciously, her eyes darting anxiously around the room as Vegeta's close proximity brought back those feelings from last night. Her heart fluttered in her chest as her breathing became shallow. All she could focus on was his scent and the deep, alluring tone his voice took when he talked like this. He smirked as he observed her, then leaned into her, whispering seductively in her ear.

"You want me to kiss you again." His lips traveled down her neck, trailing small kisses until he reached the crook of her neck, where he parted his lips and sucked gently, eliciting an unintentional moan from Goku. Vegeta smiled victoriously into Goku's neck at the sound. She gasped sharply and pushed him away, shaking her head frantically.

"No, Vegeta. We shouldn't be doing this." Goku said, trying to sound stern, though her voice terribly lacked conviction.

"We shouldn't?" Vegeta asked teasingly as he moved to face Goku, his lips only inches from hers. Goku's breath caught in her throat as she tried to argue, but she instead found herself leaning forward, locking her lips with Vegeta's. They continued from where they left off the night before, as if there had never been a night long interruption from their kiss. Vegeta pressed his body against Goku and she supported her weight against the countertop behind her. Goku let out a long sigh into the kiss as Vegeta reached his hand up, lacing his fingers into her silky, chaotic spikes of hair.

The sound of the bedroom door opening abruptly caused them to separate, panting breathily and quietly as they looked towards the bathroom door, wondering who had come in. Goku stepped back from Vegeta while he was distracted, her eyes wide and head shaking slowly in denial.

"I'm sorry, Vegeta." She whispered as Vegeta spun around to look at her just in time to see her dematerializing from the room.

* * *

Goku reappeared at a familiar place, a safe place where no one from Earth could follow her. She did, however, forget that the friend she came to hadn't seen or heard from her since the change.

"Waaaa!" Her surprised companion screamed, falling backwards in surprise at her sudden appearance next to him. Goku looked around, quickly moving her head side to side to see who else was there. She smiled with familiarity at the sight of the excitedly jumping and hollering chimp, who seemed to know who she was, in spite of her altered appearance. It was so good to see them again that the anxiety Goku was feeling seemed to dissipate immediately.

"Hey, Bubbles! Hi, King Kai!" She greeted with a pert wave and bright smile as King Kai rose from the ground, frowning and dusting off his backside. King Kai clasped his hands behind his back and looked up at Goku with a perplexed expression, then back at Bubbles, opening his mouth in confusion as he also could tell that Bubbles seemed to know their strange visitor.

"Bubbles, you know this woman?" King Kai asked suspiciously as he took a closer look at Goku.

Goku laughed whole-heartedly at King Kai's reaction as she placed both hands behind her head. "Oh, King Kai. It's just me, Goku." Goku said as King Kai stepped closer, inspecting her curiously.

"Goku?" A voice called out in surprise as a speeding light flew from the house to greet them.

"Hi, Gregory!" Goku said, waving and smiling again.

"Wow. It really is Goku, huh Bubbles?" Gregory asked in amazement as he took a moment from staring at Goku to see the nod of confirmation from the assured monkey.

"Goku? There was a rumor going around Otherworld about this, but I never believed it until now. What happened to you?" King Kai asked as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, you see, I was sparring with Piccolo when we blew up this witch's house and-" Goku began explaining nonchalantly before King Kai cut her off.

"Goku is a woman!" King Kai exclaimed loudly and suddenly. "Goku, this may be your breast transformation yet!" King Kai hollered, laughing raucously into his hands, before he let out a loud burst of laughter and moved his hands lower to clutch his belly with them instead. Goku frowned at King Kai's bad joke before looking at Bubbles and Gregory with a shrug. Bubbles shrugged back as King Kai regained his composure and stood upright to look at his companions, frowning at all of them. "You three have no sense of humor!" King Kai complained grumpily. "What brings you here, anyways? I may be full of knowledge, but I can't do anything about your transformation, you know." King Kai said with a shrug as he lazily gestured towards Goku's new form. Goku frowned for a moment. She really didn't want to talk about what brought her there.

"I'll be using the Dragonballs to turn back to normal, once they're active again. But for today, do you mind if I train here?" Goku asked, easily skirting around the subject with a pleading smile. King Kai shrugged and nodded his head.

"Sure. Not like I had a busy day planned anyways." He said as he looked around his tiny planet, admiring his clean house and freshly waxed car. Goku powered up to Super Saiyan, smiling in relief as she set to enjoy her day, away from her suddenly complicated relationship with Vegeta and away from anyone else who may ask questions she didn't want to answer. Hours later, King Kai brought out some food that Goku took a long break to eat, followed by a long nap. King Kai later emerged from his little house, cocking his head curiously at Goku, who had returned to vigilantly training again.

"Goku, it should be nighttime on Earth by now. It's been nice having you and all, but don't you think it's about time you go back?" Goku froze for a moment, hovering in the air as she looked down at King Kai, Bubbles and Gregory.

"Uh...I'm not in a hurry to go back." She admitted, rubbing the back of her head warily. "I think a lot of people might be mad at me when I get there, actually." She added, cringing reluctantly at the thought of the welcome she'd receive.

"Well, if I were you, I'd hope the Elder Kai hasn't heard about you being here yet. He's been griping about you ever since he helped you defeat Majin Buu, and I'm sure he already knows about your most recent transformation. You know how word travels fast around here." King Kai said sternly, before muttering to himself, "dead people have nothing better to do than gossip." He smirked smartly as Goku cocked her head at him with a perplexed expression. "He's been complaining that you never delivered on some promise you made to him about dirty photos..." King Kai's smirk deepened as he inclined his head towards Goku meaningfully and she paled with realization.

"D-dirty photos? Did I promise that?" Goku replied, laughing nervously. "Maybe you're right. I really should be going. It's been fun, King Kai. Bye Gregory, Bubbles. Thanks for the food!" Goku exclaimed before hurriedly placing her fingers to her forehead and disappearing.

"That got her back to Earth quickly, didn't it?" King Kai asked, turning to the smiling faces of Gregory and Bubbles with a knowing smile of his own.

A/N: Readers who only watch the English dub might not get the reference to the dirty photos. That's because in the English dub Goku's promise to the Old Kai was dubbed as a kiss from Bulma. I've also heard that dubs in other languages translated this differently as well. The Japanese version is so much funnier. They did a lot of things like that in the English version, so I highly recommend watching the Japanese if you haven't!


	14. Meanwhile, At Capsule Corporation

A/N: This chapter contains a lemon (sex). That's why this fic is rated M. If you don't want to read the lemon, it's denoted with **!** at the beginning and end of the lemon, so you can skip right over it if you want without missing any plot.

Meanwhile, At Capsule Corporation…

_The sound of the bedroom door opening abruptly caused them to separate, panting breathily and quietly as they looked towards the bathroom door, wondering who had come in. Goku stepped back from Vegeta while he was distracted, her eyes wide and head shaking slowly in denial._

_"I'm sorry, Vegeta." She whispered as Vegeta spun around to look at her just in time to see her dematerializing from the room._

"Kakarot!" Vegeta hissed. "That stupid, selfish bas- er, bitch." Vegeta groaned quietly as he heard the opening and closing of drawers in the room. "How does she expect me to explain my presence in _her_ bathroom when this person finds me here?!" When the noises continued in the bedroom, Vegeta looked towards the window as a possibility of escape. Unfortunately, it was one of those miniscule windows that he would never be able to fit through. He groaned in annoyance just as he heard footsteps approaching the bathroom door. Vegeta froze, gritting his teeth with frustration as he tried to quickly concoct an explanation for what he was doing in Goku's bathroom.

The doorknob slowly turned, and as the door creaked open, Vegeta huffed in dismay. The only things he could think up in that limited time were the many ways he could punish Goku for leaving him in this predicament. Vegeta stared towards the door as a stout figure glanced warily from behind it. His face quickly turned to a sinister smirk as he recognized the cowardly intruder, who was clearly up to no good.

"V-Vegeta!" The intruder exclaimed, jumping a foot in the air in surprise before quickly stepping back fearfully. "What are you doing in here?" He asked, his voice quivering in fear.

"I should ask you the same question." Vegeta said haughtily as he slowly and menacingly stalked his easy prey, who gulped warily and continued backing away until he had his back against the opposite wall of the bedroom.

"Please don't hurt me!" The little pig-nosed coward pleaded as he raised his hands in surrender. Vegeta smirked in amusement as several pairs of panties fell from one of the intruder's raised hands. He leaned over the coward domineeringly as he reached for a pair of panties, letting them hang from a pinky as he inspected them with a raised eyebrow.

"What's this?" Vegeta asked as he enjoyed tormenting his victim.

"N-n-nothing!" The little pig exclaimed as he extended his hands in protest. Vegeta looked at him knowingly as he tossed the panties aside.

"If you ever tell anyone you saw me here, I'll tell Kakarot what you were up to." Vegeta narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and smirked with another thought. "Then again, her wife was sleeping here, too. She might not go as easy on you as Kakarot." Oolong's bottom lip trembled worriedly as he nodded at Vegeta.

"You were never here!" Oolong exclaimed, his eyes widening hopefully as Vegeta eased off a bit with that statement.

"Good. Now get out of here!" Vegeta yelled suddenly and bitingly as the little pervert immediately scurried from the room.

Vegeta walked proudly from the bedroom, following a shaken Oolong down the hall. He was glad to escape that near problem, no thanks to Goku. Vegeta paused in the hallway for a moment, closing his eyes as he focused on the other Saiyan's ki. He couldn't get a read on it, which meant one of two things. Either she was suppressing her ki to remain hidden, or she was not on the planet. Vegeta growled angrily at the discovery. Not only did she abandon him, but she intended to remain hidden, for who knows how long. Well, he wouldn't waste his time trying to find her! Vegeta began walking down the hall as another person approached from the opposite direction.

"Good morning, Vegeta!" Gohan said happily with a wide smile as Vegeta marched towards him determinedly, scowling and ignoring the greeting. Gohan stilled warily in Vegeta's path after noting the lack of an answer and Vegeta's mood.

"Get out of my way!" Vegeta huffed as he passed Gohan, bumping him with his shoulder. Vegeta headed to his room, changing into his training gear as he prepared for a day of rigorous training.

* * *

"Vegeta!" A tired woman exclaimed as Vegeta began training and ignored his wife on the video screen. He was intently focused and did not want to be bothered. "Vegeta!" She exclaimed again, twice as loudly as last time. Vegeta cringed at the noise that pained his ears, but continued nevertheless. Did she really think he would stop ignoring her just because she could have one of the loudest mouths he'd ever heard? She growled with irritation as the video feed was cut off and the screen retracted into the ceiling of the gravity chamber.

Vegeta's scowl deepened once he was alone and he took pause for just a moment. He closed his eyes again, the second time that day he found himself feeling for Goku's ki. She was still nowhere to be found, and he frowned deeply at the predictable outcome of the effort. Vegeta set off with a whole new set of attacks, working off his anger on an imaginary opponent. Vegeta was startled in mid-kick when the gravity room door suddenly came ajar, causing the emergency shutdown of the gravity simulation. Vegeta landed awkwardly as he tried to rapidly adjust to the drastic change in gravity. He turned towards the door, glaring at the person who dared to interrupt his training so rudely. He should have known it was her.

"What?!" He yelled harshly at his angry wife, who stormed into the gravity chamber in spite of Vegeta's intimidating and fear-invoking attitude.

"Do you have any consideration for anyone else, Vegeta?" She asked as she glared furiously at her husband and crossed her arms. "Some people are still trying to sleep, and the ones that are awake, like myself, would at least appreciate a little quiet!" She yelled, tapping her foot as Vegeta glared right back at her.

"Why's that my problem?" Vegeta asked with annoyance.

"You're making even more noise than usual in here. We can hear explosions from the house like Capsule Corporation is being bombed! You're scaring our guests away!" Bulma yelled, placing her hands on her hips and glaring furiously at her husband. Vegeta smirked at Bulma's attitude before dabbing his sweaty face with a towel and answering.

"Good. If they're gone, I don't have to worry about the noise, do I?" Vegeta challenged as he approached the panel in the center of the gravity chamber, pushing buttons before glancing over his shoulder at Bulma. "You might want to get out of here, unless you'd rather _be_ a pancake than eat one this morning." Bulma scoffed in disbelief at her husband.

"I cannot believe you! I want the people that haven't left yet to stay here as long as they would like, Vegeta! Today is not a day for training. How about you join all of us humans and find something really entertaining to do?"

Vegeta rolled his eyes at the thoughts of what Bulma referred to as entertainment. His finger hovered over the button to initiate the gravity as he ordered Bulma. "Go." Bulma stayed stubbornly waiting for Vegeta to leave.

"No." Bulma answered, crossing her arms and glaring at him. Vegeta growled with annoyance and rubbed his head. "Don't make me disable this thing, Vegeta." Bulma threatened, smirking arrogantly as Vegeta frowned at her. He could see by the look in her eyes that she meant what she said, and there was no way for him to stop her from disabling the complicated technology. Vegeta growled irately as he clenched his fists and stepped away from the panel of controls.

"Fine!" He relented, storming angrily out of the gravity chamber. Bulma smiled smugly as she watched him leave, though she wondered what had Vegeta in such a bad mood this morning.

* * *

Most of the guests had left Capsule Corporation by the time two boys sat in the middle of the living room, surrounded by piles of strewn and shredded wrapping paper and a boatload of toys. Mrs. Briefs was happily skirting through the living room, collecting the papers as Chi-Chi smiled on from the kitchen, enjoying the thrill the boys were having with all of Trunks' new toys. Bulma stood beside Chi-Chi, commenting on how Trunks and Goten were growing so fast, as the Ox King hovered over the boys with a camera, taking pictures as they played.

Gohan and Videl sat on the couch, assembling the new toys that required it with minor frustration. Dr. Briefs sat on the other couch, configuring Trunks' newest technological game, which was a one-of-a-kind prototype from his grandparents. Vegeta stood with his arms crossed near a far wall, looking on with a distracted expression. Bulma glanced several times in his direction, glaring reprimandingly whenever his eyes would meet hers, though he only returned the glare and stayed put. He knew they wouldn't want him interacting with them. He had already ruined their good time earlier in the day with his foul mood.

"I wish Goku was here to see this." Chi-Chi commented sadly after Trunks and Goten began laughing loudly at the antics of an animated toy monkey. "Where do you think she's been all day?" She muttered to Bulma as she rested her hand on her chin and pouted.

"Who knows?" Bulma huffed irritably, having just received another returned glare from Vegeta. "Vegeta, where is Goku?" Bulma yelled to her husband in an attempt to pull him into conversation and get him out of his funk.

"How the hell should I know where Kakarot is!?" Vegeta instantly yelled back, surprising most of the people in the room at the sudden outburst. Bulma glared at Vegeta and marched right up to him, waving her finger in his face.

"You don't need to bite my head off! It's a simple question! You can sense her energy or something, can't you?" Bulma asked as Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her until they softened for a moment.

"No. I can't." Vegeta answered in a tone of resignation.

"Hey, wait. Vegeta's right." Gohan said in surprise with a concerned expression on his face. "I can't feel Dad's energy." Gohan stood from the couch, his eyes wandering upward worriedly as he searched out his father's ki again, coming up empty. Videl remained on the couch, silently looking up at Gohan with a troubled expression as she noted Gohan's sudden change in demeanor.

"You don't think Goku's hurt, do you?" Chi-Chi asked fearfully, clutching her fist to her chest as Bulma walked up behind Chi-Chi, placing a hand on her arm with her own worried expression. Goten and Trunks stopped playing with the toys as tension filled the room, and the adults all looked worried. All except one, who growled furiously and drew everyone's attention to himself all of a sudden.

"Of course she's not hurt! She ran off somewhere doing whatever the hell she likes, and everyone here is worrying about her! It's disgusting!" Vegeta yelled, sneering and turning his head away from everyone as they stared at him. The boys shrugged in acceptance of Vegeta's explanation and immediately resumed playing with the toys, setting a remote-controlled airplane in the air and laughing as it flew about the room.

"Are you sure about that, Vegeta?" Gohan asked doubtfully after a long pause, still fearful for his father's safety.

"Yeah. How do you know she didn't run into trouble, Vegeta?" Bulma asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Vegeta. Vegeta grit his teeth at Bulma's suspicious expression before relenting.

"Fine! I have no idea where she is. You want to go look for her? Be my guest! But I'm sure she's off the planet somewhere, and I am not wasting another breath talking about Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled sternly as Trunks and Goten fought over the remote control, breaking it easily, to their disappointment. The airplane continued flying, its flight path chaotic and unpredictable as it darted around in the air. It dove towards Gohan and Videl, who screamed and jumped aside just in time to dodge the speeding toy. The plane began speeding towards Vegeta, and he growled in irritation at all the screaming and jumpiness of everyone else over the stupid toy. He instantly reached his hand out as the toy flew in front of him, crushing it in his hand without another thought.

"Papa!" Trunks yelled angrily, fighting the tears that threatened to come to his eyes at the sight of pieces of his crushed airplane falling from Vegeta's fist. Goten pouted sadly at the sight, patting Trunks on the back soothingly.

"Vegeta!" Bulma scolded as she turned from a scowling Chi-Chi to approach him again. "That was your son's birthday gift! You don't just crush brand new toys like that!" She screamed as she clenched her fists by her sides, her arms rigid as she scowled intensely at her moody husband. "What has gotten into you today?" Vegeta frowned deeply at the angry eyes of his wife and began walking away as everyone watched him.

"Maybe I should go after him?" Gohan asked the others in the room with a worried expression.

"No. I'll go talk to him." Bulma responded calmly, though her countenance remained angry as her eyes followed her husband's back as he left the room. "Trunks, I'm sorry about your plane. We'll get you another one tomorrow." Bulma said, forcing a smile on her face as she turned to look at her son. Trunks beamed at the promise, and Goten laughed happily.

"We should be going, Bulma. It's getting late, and you might be busy for a while if you're going to talk to _him_." Chi-Chi said resentfully, grabbing her overnight bag from the floor near the wall and nodding towards Goten with a wordless order to do the same. Bulma nodded in acceptance. That would be best for her. She walked her friends to the door, waving them off as the entire Son family left, the last of the guests to leave Capsule Corporation after the big party. She then turned with a determined expression, ready to confront Vegeta as she left Trunks and her parents busy in the living room together.

Bulma walked into the bedroom silently, knowing she would find Vegeta there, gazing out the window. It was a normal place to find him when he was brooding, when he wasn't working off his bad mood aggressively in the gravity chamber. She closed the door behind her, knowing Vegeta knew she was there, though he didn't even flinch as she approached him. She reached her hands onto his shoulders, gently massaging as she whispered in his ear.

"Vegeta. Tell me what's bothering you." Bulma ordered in a subtly sweet tone. Vegeta turned his face towards her slightly, raising his eyebrows at the sudden change in demeanor. He expected her to yell, and was prepared with retorts for any arguments she gave. But this was unexpected and unsettling.

"You're not yelling." He stated blankly.

"No. I can tell there is something wrong. Besides," Bulma added as she walked in front of Vegeta, smiling smugly as she looked into his eyes, "I know you. If I argue with you, you'll just fight back." Vegeta smirked in amusement at Bulma's calculated approach.

"And you don't want to fight?" Vegeta asked tauntingly. Bulma rubbed her hands over Vegeta's chest, working them up his sculpted neck in a gentle caress as she brought her mouth close to his.

**!**

"No." She said simply as she planted her lips on his, pulling him into a deep kiss. Vegeta's anger melted off of him with that kiss. Somehow that woman always found a way to disarm him. And it was obvious that she wanted more. As much as he might want Goku, he never stopped wanting Bulma. And she was more than straightforward in her intentions, as she reached between Vegeta's legs and stroked his member through the spandex of his uniform, quickly arousing him as he untied the scarf around her neck and fondled her breasts.

They separated for a moment in an unspoken agreement as Vegeta hastily shed his armor and Bulma removed her dress. Vegeta began peeling his spandex uniform off as he kissed Bulma again. She assisted in removing his encumbering clothing as she felt along the ridges and peaks of Vegeta's incredibly muscular body. Vegeta advanced towards Bulma until her legs hit the bed, and she fell backwards into it intentionally. He kissed her deeply as he kicked off the remainder of his clothing and reached a hand into the waistband of her panties, running his fingers along her wet folds as she inhaled sharply at the surprising, pleasant sensation. Bulma instantly grabbed his member with a firm grasp, not one to be outdone as she competitively stroked him until she received an equally pleased groan from him.

Vegeta pulled Bulma's panties down hastily, unintentionally ripping them off in the process. Bulma groaned for only a moment at the tearing sound before gasping sharply as Vegeta suddenly plunged into her entrance. Vegeta began at a slow pace as Bulma moaned and writhed beneath him. He gradually pounded into Bulma harder, groaning in content at the wonderfully wet, tight sensation around his member. "Ve…ge…ta!" Bulma said as she arched her back at the wonderfully fulfilling sensation as she reached her climax. Vegeta increased his pace as Bulma's lips met his neck, and she began sucking, drawing him to his climax only moments after hers. Vegeta supported himself on his elbow above Bulma, both panting as they caught their breath and looked at one another.

**!**

Vegeta quickly frowned at Bulma's searching gaze, knowing she still wanted him to tell her what was wrong. He pushed himself off the bed, gathering his clothing in his arms as Bulma's gaze remained on him, studying him intently. He began pulling his clothes on as Bulma watched, knowing she would wait silently for him to say something. He pulled the armor over his head, eyeing Bulma warily as he reached for his gloves and began pulling them over his fingers. Something suddenly occurred to him. "You know what I'm angry about, don't you?" Vegeta asked as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Bulma.

"It has something to do with Goku disappearing. Am I right?" Bulma asked as she propped herself on her elbows with a smug smile. She knew she was right. She just wanted to hear it. Vegeta bared his teeth angrily at the thoughts of Goku abandoning him this morning, and never returning to face him.

"Kakarot thinks she can disappear whenever she wants to. I'll kill her!" Vegeta exclaimed to himself as he closed his fists tightly.

"Hey!" Bulma called, stopping Vegeta just before he opened the door. "In thirty minutes, we're meeting in the living room for a movie. Trunks wants to watch one he got for his birthday, and you owe it to him after your little display downstairs." Bulma said in a threatening tone. Vegeta groaned at the thought of watching a child's movie, but nodded slowly as he opened the door. Maybe he didn't really want to kill Goku. But when Goku finally did come back, he had every intention of calling in that favor. He definitely deserved it after today.


	15. Homecoming

Bulma's head bobbed to the side again as her eyelids grew heavy, and she startled awake at the twitch of the sleeping boy wrapped under her arm. She opened her eyes wide with a loud yawn as she slowly stood from the couch, careful not to wake Trunks as his body slid into a horizontal position across the cushions without his mother's form there to keep him upright any longer. Bulma grabbed the TV remote, turning off the movie the family had been watching. She turned to the other couch in the living room, where her mother remained the only other person still awake, strangely attentive to the now blank screen.

"Mom." Bulma whispered, giving her mother a slight nudge. "Go to bed. It's late." Bulma's mother startled at the touch, smiling at Bulma as if suddenly recognizing her presence.

"Oh. Good night, honey." Her mother answered absently as she dutifully retreated upstairs with a smile. Bulma's gaze followed her mother up the stairs for a minute, then shifted in the direction of her bedroom. She shook her head as she thought of Vegeta asleep already, as he had earlier ditched the movie with them, claiming it was a waste of time to sit in front of a box and watch animated characters. At least he seemed enough back to his normal self. He had tolerated the movie for almost half an hour without complaining. She hoped he'd be waking in a much better mood tomorrow.

Bulma turned her attention to the young boy on the couch again, studying him calculatedly as she decided how best to pick him up without disturbing his sleep. She carefully bent her knees and slid her arms beneath him, heaving him into her arms and freezing for a moment as he stirred at the disturbance. When Trunks sighed heavily and his head rested on Bulma's shoulder again, she stepped towards the stairs, prepared for a long haul carrying the growing boy all the way up the stairs. Just before reaching the landing, a figure instantaneously appeared in front of her, startling her to the point where she almost dropped Trunks. Bulma glared furiously at the figure, whom she would have been screaming at right now if it weren't for the sleeping child in her arms. Instead she settled for seething through her teeth and glaring, which seemed to communicate her feelings well enough as the other woman stepped back in fear.

"Hi, Bulma." She finally uttered as Bulma growled angrily and stepped around her to approach the stairs. Bulma decided to ignore her. Actually, she'd like to rip her a new one for appearing like that after disappearing all day and doing whatever she did to piss off Vegeta, the repercussions of which everyone else in Vegeta's wake had to suffer the brunt all day.

Goku stepped in front of Bulma, expertly scooping Trunks from her arms. With the simple communication of a nod, Goku offered to put Trunks to bed. Rather than the disruptive route of climbing up the stairs, Goku levitated and flew upstairs. Bulma rolled her eyes and crossed her arms from the base of the stairs. She frowned after a while of waiting. What was taking Goku so long to come back downstairs? She better be coming back downstairs! Bulma stomped angrily up the stairs to find Goku, half expecting her to disappear again like she already did once today.

"What are you doing?" Bulma huffed, now overtired and extremely aggravated. Fortunately for Goku, it seemed she was wise enough for once to realize this was no time to push her friend. Goku stepped out of Trunks' room, where she had been hovering in the doorway.

"How was your day today, Bulma?" Goku suddenly asked with a smile planted on her face and an all-too-friendly tone.

"How was my day? How was my day?!" Bulma asked, clenching her fists by her sides angrily as she huffed in indignation.

"Shhhh." Goku warned, placing her finger to her lips and nodding towards Trunks' sleeping form only a few feet away. Bulma gaped in realization. For someone who was usually such an idiot, Goku could be conniving sometimes. Bulma knew she was using her sleeping child as a shield from the reaming she very well knew she had coming to her when Goku smiled a big toothy smile. Bulma crossed her arms and planted a smug expression on her face as she stubbornly glared at Goku. She could ream quietly.

"Do you think it's funny abandoning us when you left Vegeta irate and unable to reach you?" Bulma asked as she forcefully extended her hand, gesturing in Vegeta's direction. "We all had to deal with him all day long, and let me tell you, he was not pleasant!" Bulma hissed under her breath with as much venom as she could muster at such a low volume. Goku cringed and warily searched the hall as if Vegeta would spring out at any moment. "Yeah, you better be scared, because whatever you did, he's going to kick your ass, Goku! And I don't think anyone would try and stop him at this point!" Bulma added, promptly covering her mouth as her volume rose with that last jab and Trunks stirred in his sleep. After glancing cautiously towards Trunks, Bulma turned back to Goku's searching mien. As her glare returned on her friend, so did Goku's frown. "Vegeta's asleep right now. It seems you waited long enough to return unscathed…for now."

"Did…Vegeta tell you what he's angry about?" Goku asked, raising a brow guardedly and keeping her own volume very low. Bulma scoffed incredulously.

"It's Vegeta. Do you think he would ever bother telling anyone what's really bothering him? All he told me is how much he wants to kill you."

"Oh. Well that's nothing new." Goku said, smiling amicably as she attempted to get a pleasant reaction out of Bulma. Bulma wasn't buying it.

"Gokuuuu." Bulma growled the name, her face reddening with infuriation. Now she was just tired, and she was stuck arguing with the source of her bad day. "You can't just come back and go to sleep like everything is fine. I shouldn't even be letting you stay here anymore with the way you're acting. How about I kick you out of the house? You can go sleep in the dirt for all I care!" To Bulma's utter surprise, Goku smiled brightly at her threat.

"Yeah! That's a great idea, Bulma. I haven't slept outside in a while!" Goku exclaimed happily as she began walking down the hall. "Hey, Bulma. Sleep well. Goodnight." Goku whispered loudly enough for Bulma to hear it down the hallway.

"Damn Goku and her stupid love for the outdoors!" Bulma grumbled as she hunched forward, fuming to herself as she retreated to her bedroom. "I'm going to sleep and in the morning…I'm going to enjoy watching Vegeta pummel her face in!" Bulma remarked, smirking and punching a fist into her open palm in anticipation, before wearily, finally, heading to bed.

* * *

Goku woke from the makeshift hammock she had set out near her home on Mt. Paozu to the rough shaking of a hand on her shoulder. She squinted her eyes open into the bright sunlight above through the canopy of trees and noticed a voice yelling something at her.

"Dad! What are you doing here?" Goku yawned and reached her hands up in a long stretch before looking again at the form towering over her.

"Gohan?" She asked as she sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the hammock.

"Yeah." Gohan laughed, giving Goku a hand and pulling her out of the hammock to stand beside him. "Why aren't you at Capsule Corporation?" Goku laughed guiltily and rubbed her stomach as it growled loudly. Gohan smiled in amusement at the noise, while Goku held her stomach with both hands.

"Ah, Gohan, I'm starving! Do you think we could get something to eat?" Goku asked, glancing in the direction of her house curiously. Gohan followed Goku's glance, frowning over his shoulder as he debated whether he'd get in trouble for bringing his father home. But that just sounded ridiculous. His mom would have to let Goku have breakfast with them.

"Okay, Dad." Gohan said warily. "But maybe I should talk to mom first." Gohan added, thinking cautiously as he stared towards the house. He startled when a happily skipping, jumping, woman crossed his line of vision, running towards the house. Gohan glanced back to where his father had been standing and clapped a hand over his face with a groan. "Dad!" Gohan shouted as he ran to the house, trying to catch up to his father before his mother would have a chance to react badly to the surprise visit.

To Gohan's astonishment, he entered the house to find Goku seated next to Goten at the kitchen table, already face deep in food. His mother was smiling widely as she placed more plates in front of them, laughing and chattering at the loudly munching pair. "Gohan! Aren't you eating breakfast?" Chi-Chi asked upon noticing Gohan, standing with his mouth agape just outside the kitchen. Assuming the answer was yes, Chi-Chi set another place at the table, loaded with just as much food as Goten was consuming, though not as much as Goku had.

"Mmmmm….Chi-Chi I missed your cooking so much!" Goku exclaimed enthusiastically as she continued scooping more food into her mouth.

"I'm glad you like it, Goku." Chi-Chi said, smiling as she sat herself with a much smaller plate beside Goku. Gohan raised his brows dubiously as he slowly took his seat and took a small bite of food, his eyes never leaving his parents. Maybe this was a trap. His mother could blow at any minute. Goten glanced up from his food, noticing his brother's cautious behavior.

"What's wrong, Gohan?" Goten asked as he tilted his head in confusion. Goku and Chi-Chi both stopped eating to look at Gohan as well.

"It's just that…I thought…" Gohan began, his eyebrows contorted in confusion as his family stared at him blankly. "N-nothing. Nothing at all." Gohan decided, smiling happily at the strange new acceptance of Goku in the house.

"So, Goku. Where were you yesterday?" Chi-Chi asked between bites, clearly disappointed about Goku missing out on the fun time they had.

"Oh!" Goku said with her mouth full, before swallowing in response to Chi-Chi's scolding glare. "I went to see King Kai. I trained in Otherworld!" Goku explained, smiling as she grabbed a huge cup and gulped down a lot to drink.

"That would explain why we couldn't sense you." Gohan commented, somewhat relieved to know everything was fine, though he couldn't understand why his dad couldn't just let them know where she was going. Goku startled at that comment, looking to Gohan curiously.

"You were trying to sense me?" She asked cluelessly.

"Of course they were!" Chi-Chi exclaimed exasperatedly as she stood and began clearing the table. "You think because you're so strong no one ever worries about you when you mysteriously disappear?" Goku frowned guiltily before looking up to Chi-Chi with a hopeful smile. Chi-Chi opened her mouth in surprise at the look, then smirked and placed her free hand on her hip. "Those puppy dog eyes won't work on me now, _Miss_. It's my handsome Goku's face that gets away with things that way!" Chi-Chi exclaimed haughtily before turning back to the sink as Gohan and Goten laughed at Goku's dismayed expression.

"I'm sorry. I guess I should have let you know where I was going." Goku responded with a shrug.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're back. We missed you." Chi-Chi said wholeheartedly before crossing her arms and giving Goku and endearing look. Gohan raised his eyebrows at his mother's expression and stood from the table, glancing at Goku.

"Come on, Goten. Let's go see if we can catch some fish for lunch." Gohan suggested, running out of the house so his parents could talk.

"Okay!" Goten agreed happily as he jumped from his chair.

"Goten!" Chi-Chi scolded before Goten reached the door. He smiled at his mother as he obediently returned to push in his chair, causing her to nod and smile proudly and wave her hands dismissively with permission for him to catch up with Gohan.

"Goku, why aren't you at Capsule Corporation? I thought Bulma was supposed to be working on something to change you back?" Chi-Chi asked as she sat in a chair facing Goku at the table. Goku opened her mouth in surprise at the question, having forgotten that Chi-Chi still thought they were working on something. She frowned as she scratched her head warily.

"Well, about that…" Goku said as she sucked in a breath through her teeth, worried about how Chi-Chi might react when she realized this was going to last a lot longer than she thought.

"What?" Chi-Chi asked abruptly and suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at Goku and crossing her arms.

"We're going to have to wait until we can use the Dragonballs, Chi-Chi. Which means I'll be a woman at least another…" Goku held up her fingers, counting on them with a perplexed expression, "…eight months? Nine months?" Chi-Chi's jaw dropped in shock.

"Nine…months?" Chi-Chi asked, her lip trembling sadly at the news. Goku nodded with a small smile on her face, which quickly turned into a deep frown as Chi-Chi moaned and her eyes rolled back in her head as her body collapsed on the floor.

"Chi-Chi!" Goku exclaimed, standing suddenly from her chair. Goku grabbed her hair in panic, looking around frantically for a moment before deciding to get some water for Chi-Chi and lay her on a bed. Goku gently lifted Chi-Chi's head on a pillow and wet a washcloth, placing it over Chi-Chi's head. She frowned and crossed her arms as she sat in a chair beside Chi-Chi, wondering when she would wake up.

"Chi-Chi?" Goku called experimentally, her eyes widened curiously as she cocked her head and looked closely at Chi-Chi for any signs of her waking. Goku very lightly slapped Chi-Chi on the cheek twice, and Chi-Chi inhaled sharply, her eyes fluttering open as she looked around frantically. "Chi-Chi." Goku breathed, smiling in relief as she stood from her chair, giving Chi-Chi some space to wake up. Chi-Chi's eyebrows knit in confusion as she sat up, supporting herself with one hand on the bed while rubbing her head with the other.

"Goku?" Chi-Chi asked as she glanced up towards Goku, frowning. Goku nodded and placed her hands on her hips.

"Are you okay, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked, searching to meet Chi-Chi's eyes as Chi-Chi turned her face away. Goku frowned worriedly.

"You're going to be a woman for another nine months?" Chi-Chi repeated, her shoulders slumping in disappointment as she met Goku's eyes sadly.

"Yeah. But it'll be okay." Goku said with a reassuring smile as she sat beside Chi-Chi on the bed. Chi-Chi nodded dully as Goku wrapped her arm over Chi-Chi's shoulder, embracing her in a partial hug before standing from the bed. "So, I guess I should get going." Goku said, pursing her lips disappointedly at the prospect of leaving her home when she was just becoming comfortable again.

"No!" Chi-Chi yelled suddenly, scaring Goku, who jumped back fearfully at the outburst. "Goku, you are not living at Capsule Corporation for another nine months! If this is going to last that long, I don't want you away from home. Stay here." Chi-Chi smiled hopefully at Goku, whose eyes widened in surprise at the offer.

"Really?!" Goku asked happily. Chi-Chi nodded and Goku embraced Chi-Chi tightly, spinning her around before setting her down on the ground. Chi-Chi laughed giddily at Goku's antics before straightening her clothing.

"Goten should be fine after all that's happening…right?" Chi-Chi added, raising a finger to her lip as she frowned dubiously.

"Of course!" Goku exclaimed without a second thought. "I should get my things from Capsule Corporation." Goku decided, frowning after her statement when she realized who would be waiting for her there. "Hey, Chi-Chi." Goku said, glancing in Chi-Chi's direction as she placed two fingers to her forehead. Chi-Chi looked at Goku, blinking expectantly. "Thanks." Goku said, smiling endearingly at Chi-Chi as she disappeared from sight.


	16. Flying By

"Trunks! Psst!" Trunks looked over his shoulder skeptically towards the potted plant from where the voice seemed to be originating. He raised an eyebrow at the odd sight of Goku hiding warily behind it.

"Goku?" Trunks asked as he scratched his head in confusion.

"Shhhh!" Goku shushed him immediately as she cautiously glanced around the room for signs of anyone else. "Where are your parents?"

"Oh! They're in the living room, I think." Trunks stated loudly as he stood from the table where he had been doing his homework. "Do you want to see them?"

"No! No, don't bother them." Goku objected as she cautiously stepped out from behind the potted plant towards the center of the room. "I'm just here to get my things. I'm moving back home." Goku told Trunks, smiling now, yet remaining wary as she cautiously eyed the doorway to Trunks' bedroom.

"Oh! You'll still be coming by to play every once in a while, right?" Trunks asked, knowing he would definitely miss out on a lot of fun without Goku around.

"Yeah, sure." Goku answered quickly. "You can even come by our place and play sometime." Goku stepped toward the door, frowning as she stuck her head in the hallway, then sighing with relief as she leaned with her back against the wall when no one was there.

"Why are you hiding from my parents?" Trunks asked as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Goku. Goku grimaced before facing Trunks with a nervous laugh.

"I'm not hiding! I'll be out of here real fast." Goku said as she darted out of the room. Trunks frowned and pursed his lips at Goku's odd behavior before returning to his seat to resume his homework.

Goku dashed quickly into her guest bedroom, the place she had called home for the past month, wasting no time as she pulled a large bag from beneath the bed and collected her things from the closet, the drawers, and the bathroom. She shoved her things in the bag sloppily, trapping much of the material in the zipper as she closed the bag in a rush. Goku huffed a heavy sigh of relief as she glanced around the room for anything she may have missed and reached her fingers to her forehead. Before her fingers touched, she jumped at the voice in the doorway.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Goku squealed in surprise as she turned to see Vegeta reaching his hand for her. He grabbed her wrist securely as she winced at the contact. Vegeta smirked triumphantly, knowing he had her trapped. "Did you really think you could come here without me knowing?" Vegeta asked disdainfully.

"Well, I _was_ hoping-" Goku honestly began objecting before Vegeta cut her off.

"What were you going to do, Kakarot? Hide from me forever?" Vegeta asked mockingly as Goku attempted to shake loose from the grasp he stubbornly held.

"I know you're angry, Vegeta…" Goku began as Vegeta frowned deeply.

"Do you want to know who was in the bedroom when you disappeared?" Vegeta asked ominously as Goku looked at him with an alarmed expression. "Maybe it was your wife. Maybe it was Bulma. Maybe it was someone else who would be more capable than you of putting the pieces together. Idiot!" Vegeta spat the insult as he nearly released Goku forcefully, until he remembered that connection was the only thing keeping her there.

"Sorry, Vegeta." Goku apologized nonchalantly with a smile as Vegeta immediately scoffed at the apology. Vegeta stilled a moment, staring thoughtfully towards a distant wall. Goku observed him carefully, waiting patiently for him to speak again. Vegeta suddenly smirked as he turned to face Goku. "I'd say you owe me now after that stunt. Wouldn't you agree, Kakarot?" Goku's eyes widened at the unexpected approach. She was prepared for Vegeta to start swinging, or blasting her through the wall. She forgot about the whole favor thing. Goku let out a low chuckle as she nodded at Vegeta.

"Sure, Vegeta. I owe you one." She readily agreed. Her expression became wary as she asked, "What…do you want?" Vegeta smirked at her reaction, releasing Goku and crossing his arms now that he was satisfied she shouldn't try to disappear.

"I'll tell you when I decide. For now, just remember that you agreed." Vegeta said pointedly as he met Goku's eyes, and she looked back at him with a serious expression of understanding. Goku's serious expression morphed into one of curiosity as she asked, "Who was in the bedroom, anyways?"

"It doesn't matter. I took care of it." Vegeta said confidently. Vegeta's gaze shifted to Goku's makeshift packed bag on the bed. "Going somewhere?" He asked suspiciously. Goku followed Vegeta's gaze.

"Ah. I'm heading home. Chi-Chi said I can stay with them now." Vegeta frowned at the news, and Goku smiled smugly. "Awww, Vegeta. You know I can come here anytime, and you can come visit us at Mt. Paozu." Goku said as she reached her hand forward, stroking Vegeta's cheek as she wore a teasing smile. Vegeta sneered and turned away from the touch, slapping Goku's hand harshly aside. Goku frowned at his dismissal. She shrugged after a moment as she smiled and rolled her eyes, reaching for her bag.

"Okay. If you don't want me here, I'll just be going now." Vegeta abruptly grabbed Goku's wrist again as it traveled towards her forehead, and Goku faltered at the sudden grasp, though she was not surprised.

"You'll go when I say you can go." Vegeta said sternly as he looked into Goku's eyes lustfully. Goku smirked at Vegeta and leaned into him as she pulled her held wrist to her chest and crushed her lips against his. Vegeta released Goku's wrist and slid his hand up her arm until it wrapped around her back, while she released her bag and did the same to him. They held each other as their mouths played against the other's, their tongues dancing as they sighed into the kiss and finally, breathily parted, looking into each other's eyes. The sound of footsteps traveling past the bedroom in the hallway drew their attention, and Vegeta released Goku. "Go." He said with a smirk. Goku frowned doubtfully at Vegeta as she grabbed her bag again.

"I thought for sure you'd try to hurt me when I came here." Goku said suspiciously. Vegeta chuckled darkly.

"It's much more satisfying _this_ way, Kakarot." Vegeta answered as he crossed his arms and stared at Goku. Goku watched Vegeta with a concerned expression as she headed for the window, deciding to fly rather than teleport again. She opened the window and heaved the bag through it as she threw one leg over, her eyes never leaving Vegeta as he continued staring where he stood. Goku shook her head to dismiss the unsettling look Vegeta gave her as she passed through the window, blasting into the air without another word.

* * *

Along the route to her home, Goku sensed a familiar energy approaching, evidently seeking her. She stopped and waited for her friend to catch up, smiling as she saw him approaching. "Hi, Piccolo!" She greeted with a huge smile as Piccolo smiled back.

"Goku." Piccolo greeted as he stopped a few feet in front of Goku. "I thought that was you. What are you doing here?" Piccolo asked, glancing in either direction thoughtfully. "Heading home?" He speculated.

"Yeah! I'm moving back home!" Goku exclaimed happily, lifting her bag in demonstration with a wide grin. "What are _you_ doing here, Piccolo? Training?" Goku guessed with a knowing smile. Piccolo chuckled and nodded.

"Of course. What else?" Piccolo replied smugly. "You'd better hurry, Goku. There's a bad storm coming from that direction." Piccolo informed Goku as he nodded in the direction of Goku's house. Goku looked toward the slightly clouded sky in the direction of her home and nodded at Piccolo's warning.

"Thanks, Piccolo." She said as she prepared to fly off.

"Goku!" Piccolo yelled before she could move. Piccolo removed his turban and produced something from inside it, offering it to Goku. Goku's eyes widened curiously as she looked at Piccolo's hand. Her expression became confounded as she pursed her lips and met Piccolo's eyes.

"Uh…thanks?" She said as Piccolo chuckled in amusement at her reaction. Goku grabbed the item from Piccolo's hand, rolling it thoughtfully in her palm as she strangely recognized the familiar feel and weight of the item. She gasped as she realized what she thought it was, and Piccolo huffed in agreement.

"It's a Dragonball, isn't it?" Piccolo conjectured, looking at the dead-white, smooth round stone in Goku's hand. Though they were not active yet, and it was hard to tell, it did seem to be a Dragonball.

"Maybe." Goku agreed as she stared at the ball.

"I came across it when I was training. It was lodged between some stones near a waterfall. I thought I should hold onto it, just in case it was what I thought it was." Piccolo explained as he replaced his turban and crossed his arms with his eyes set on the smooth stone now in Goku's hand.

"Thanks, Piccolo. I'll hold onto it." Goku said, smiling victoriously as she tossed the stone once and caught it, quickly setting off for home, trying to beat the storm.

* * *

Piccolo's prediction was correct, Goku found, as she walked through the door, dripping from the rain that had started just before she reached the house. She quickly shook the loose beads of water from her hair and removed her boots by the door, knowing Chi-Chi would throw a fit if she trailed wet footprints through the house.

"Goku! After you're dry, come have some lunch." Chi-Chi greeted cheerily from the kitchen, where she was already washing dishes from the lunch Goku had just missed. "The boys caught quite a few fish today." Goku did not need to be told twice, and quickly dressed and re-emerged from the bedroom to find food set out heated and smelling delicious for her.

"Where are the boys?" Goku asked curiously, halfway into her meal before their absence really occurred to her.

"Oh! They smelled terrible after handling those fish. I sent them to wash up." Chi-Chi explained as she grabbed a glass and sipped some water, leaning against the counter as she watched Goku resume eating. As if on cue, Gohan crossed through the hall and startled at the sight of his parents in the kitchen.

"Gohan!" Goku exclaimed happily.

"Hi, Dad." Gohan replied absently as he quickly headed into his bedroom. Goku turned her attention back to Chi-Chi with a bemused expression.

"Is Gohan okay?" She asked cautiously. Chi-Chi nodded and smiled proudly as she set her glass on the counter and crossed her arms.

"Mm-hmm! He's more than okay." Chi-Chi smiled widely, her eyes watering proudly as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. "Our son is graduating from high school, Goku." She said dreamily.

"Oh?" Goku asked indifferently, taking a sip from her glass as she fixated her gaze on Chi-Chi.

"Yes." Chi-Chi huffed, her mood suddenly changing as she glowered at Goku. "Goku, don't tell me you forgot about this." Goku raised her eyebrows as she set her glass down, frowning. Chi-Chi growled with frustration. "You do remember that Gohan has been going to high school in the city, _right_?" Chi-Chi prodded, expecting a definite yes from that question.

"Yeah." Goku said with a big smile. Chi-Chi nodded.

"Good. Do you also remember, before you went off and became a woman, that I was telling you how excited I was for Gohan to be graduating from high school this year?" Goku's eyes shifted toward the ceiling pensively for a moment, then she smiled and nodded at Chi-Chi as the memory occurred to her.

"Yeah!" Goku stood from the table, approaching Chi-Chi with her dirty dishes when Goku's smile turned to a frown. "But…what does that _mean_, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked, a slight note of frustration in her voice as Chi-Chi fell over comically in disbelief.

"It means," Chi-Chi huffed as she regained her footing, "that he gets a diploma. It means that he can be a scholar, like I always wanted him to be." Chi-Chi's eyes widened as a thought occurred to her, and she smiled largely at Goku. "Goku, this is great!" She exclaimed suddenly and loudly as Goku raised her hands defensively with a fearful frown.

"Yeah…it's great, Chi-Chi!" Goku agreed quickly, though she had no idea what the big deal was.

"Goku, Gohan's graduation ceremony is next month. Since he started high school when you were dead, well, the school thinks that Gohan's father is deceased." Chi-Chi explained, turning despondent at the mention of Goku being dead. Goku frowned sadly as Chi-Chi's gaze drifted for a moment before she regained her train of thought and shook off the unpleasant feelings. She set her hands on her hips and assumed a haughty smile. "So now that you're a woman, you can come to the graduation! You see? If you were yourself, well, we couldn't explain how you were alive to everyone at the school." Goku nodded dully as she followed everything Chi-Chi said, though the point of it remained unclear.

"So…this is a good thing?" Goku asked cautiously. Chi-Chi growled and smacked Goku across the head, causing her to wince and whimper in pain as she held the sore spot.

"Of course it's a good thing! Don't you want to see your son graduate? He's done something amazing, Goku! You should be proud!" Chi-Chi shouted, baring her teeth furiously at Goku's lack of understanding of Gohan's incredible accomplishment.

"Of course I'm proud, Chi-Chi!" Goku exclaimed, opening one eye carefully from her cowering position to gauge Chi-Chi's aggressiveness. Upon seeing Chi-Chi's smile at her declaration, Goku stood upright with a sigh as she dropped her hands by her sides.

"Good." Chi-Chi accepted with a sigh of relief as she crossed her arms proudly and raised her chin in the air. "We'll just tell everyone…you're Gohan's aunt or something." Chi-Chi added indifferently as she turned to the sink and resumed cleaning the kitchen.

"So…why is Gohan acting funny again?" Goku asked, realizing she never received an answer to her original question. Chi-Chi made a questioning hum from her place at the sink before recalling Gohan's earlier behavior to which Goku was referring.

"Oh! He's not acting funny." Chi-Chi laughed knowingly as she shook her head and began washing dishes. "He's just preparing for finals. He's very focused right now." Chi-Chi turned from the sink to face Goku with a warning expression. "So don't distract him!"

"Sure, Chi-Chi." Goku replied with a smile and dismissive wave of her hand. "I'll just play with Goten instead." Chi-Chi nodded in agreement as Goku quickly set off to find her youngest son.

* * *

Settling into her own home as a woman did take a little getting used to. Goku was unable to bathe in the tub outdoors with the boys around, or to swim in her underwear (or less) in the waters near her home. But she adjusted, and the time flew by as she relaxed at home with her family. She filled her time with training, fishing, and playing with Goten. Before Goku knew it, a month had passed, and Chi-Chi was already getting the family ready for Gohan's graduation.

It was not until they were on their way to the graduation ceremony, the family piling into the car, that Goku realized something. It was when Chi-Chi mentioned Bulma's favor of using her Capsule Corporation sponsorship of the school to provide enough tickets for all their friends to attend Gohan's graduation. At that moment, Goku gasped as the car engine started, and her family began chatting excitedly, unaware of her worries. The peaceful month at home passed so quickly that Goku hadn't realized her negligence of certain people outside of her family. And now she was going to see them, or more importantly, him.


	17. Graduation Infatuation

A monotonous male voice spoke through a feedback-screeching microphone on the field outside Orange Star High School. It was a beautiful day, and the outdoor bleachers and folding chairs were filled to capacity with proud family and friends as a large group of anxious graduates waited by the stage to receive their recognition. If it would ever come, that is.

"Mom, this is so boring!" A spiky haired boy complained from one of the bleacher seats.

"Yeah, Chi-Chi. When are they going to graduate already?" The woman next to him asked just as childishly with her chin rested in her hand. Chi-Chi clenched her fists and growled through her teeth with frustration.

"Goku, can't you at least _try_ to act like a parent?" She reprimanded harshly to Goku, who blinked at her.

"I thought you weren't supposed to call me Goku here." Goku prompted, further annoying Chi-Chi with the correction as it was obvious that no one but their surrounding group of friends could have heard her. Chi-Chi growled again, but before she could retort further, the blue-haired woman next to her interrupted.

"Hey, look!" She exclaimed as she pointed towards the stage. "It looks like Mister Satan is the commencement speaker." She commented as her expression became dubious and the group watched Mr. Satan approaching the microphone, adorning his championship belt and attire proudly.

"Oh, geez." Muttered the short man seated next to the boy. "This city just can't get enough of that guy, can it?" He commented peevishly as Mister Satan began his idea of a motivational speech and people a few rows away from the group loudly shushed him.

"It's fine by me, Krillin." Goku said, leaning forward to see her friend past her son. "I wouldn't want to be the one up on that stage making speeches, would you?" Krillin frowned doubtfully, but glanced toward the stage and shrugged in agreement.

"Okay, you got me there." Krillin agreed, leaning back and slouching in his seat. "But why don't you wake me when he's finished?" He added as he closed his eyes and sighed heavily in relaxation. Krillin startled suddenly, wincing in pain as he clutched his head with both hands.

"Pay attention, Krillin!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as she finished swinging her heavy purse against Krillin's head. "You came here to see Gohan graduate, remember?" Chi-Chi spun slowly to get a good look at all of her friends with a warning glare. "That goes for all of you!"

"Fine, Chi-Chi." Krillin grumbled under his breath. "I'll pay attention when you do. Why don't you sit back down and stop hitting people?" He added petulantly in a hushed voice as he crossed his arms and focused on the stage with a scowl.

"What was that?!" Chi-Chi responded threateningly. Krillin cowered fearfully at the unexpected reply. He thought for sure Chi-Chi wouldn't hear him. Next to him, his wife sat with their daughter on her lap, chuckling cruelly as Chi-Chi returned to her seat with a smug expression on her face.

"Krillin, don't be such a wimp." 18 mocked unflappably as her husband frowned deeply at the burn and Goku and Goten laughed whole heartedly at the remark. They stopped laughing when the same group ahead of them shushed their laughter, and the group attempted to pay attention to Mister Satan's speech.

Twenty minutes into it, everyone was slumped forward exasperatedly, looking miserable as they waited for it to end. "…so, congratulations, Class of 775!" Mister Satan exclaimed triumphantly as a loud set of trumpets blew in fanfare and everyone in the crowd sat up, fully alerted by the noise.

"I'm glad that's over." Goku commented as Mister Satan waved to the screaming crowd and Goku rubbed her tired eyes, sitting upright.

"I'll say." Bulma agreed with a yawn. "Hercule sure knows how to spend a lot of time talking about nothing." She added with bewilderment. A derisive scoff sounded beside Bulma from the man seated next to her with his arms crossed tightly. Goku glanced past Bulma at the sound, quickly leaning back when she caught Vegeta casting a sideways glance at her with a deep frown. Goku hurriedly looked around elsewhere, noticing the two empty chairs beside 18 as the first students were called to receive their diplomas.

"Where are Master Roshi and Oolong?" She asked curiously as everyone else looked to the seats where the two should have been.

"Where do you think?" Chi-Chi asked facetiously, shaking her head and scowling. "We're at a high school graduation." She added as she pointed to the crowd of high school students lined up by the stage, the jumps and shrieks of the female graduates traveling down the line.

"Those dirty perverts!" Bulma exclaimed angrily when she caught sight of the two on their hands and knees, peeking beneath the commencement robes of the unsuspecting teenage girls. "I hope those girls stomp on their heads!" She added as she crossed her arms tightly and scowled.

"You have to admit though, there are a lot of pretty girls at this school." The Ox King said gleefully with a wide smile from his seat behind Chi-Chi, who quickly turned and scowled reprimandingly at her father. "I mean, sweet innocent young ladies." He corrected with a weak laugh as Chi-Chi slowly faced forward again, blushing with embarrassment at her father's behavior.

"Calm down, Bulma. They're just doing what they always do." Yamcha piped up from beside the Ox King, leaning forward to tap the still-fuming Bulma on the shoulder condescendingly. "You're just bent out of shape because they're not drooling over you." He added, causing Goku and Krillin to chuckle along with him. Bulma growled furiously before turning to Vegeta.

"Vegeta! Teach Yamcha a lesson for speaking to me like that!" She yelled furiously as Vegeta looked at Bulma, his jaw dropping in utter disbelief.

"_Now _you want me to beat up that weakling?" He asked, completely stupefied by Bulma's order.

"Yes!" Bulma said haughtily as she shook her hair and fluttered her eyelashes. "No one insults my looks."

"Hey! I'm right here, you know! You can't just talk about me like that!" Yamcha objected as he pulled himself forward, gripping the back of Bulma's chair.

"Shut up, Yamcha!" Bulma yelled loudly. Yamcha scowled and sat back down, feeling safe enough to do so as it seemed Vegeta had no intentions of bothering to follow through with Bulma's threat. Vegeta's stoic expression returned as he stared forward and appeared to pay attention to the graduates crossing the stage.

"How much longer, Chi-Chi?" Goku whined again, fidgeting impatiently in her seat. Chi-Chi growled and smacked Goku with the same purse she had used to smack Krillin earlier.

"I said stop whining, Goku!" Chi-Chi yelled loudly before covering her mouth and glancing about warily for any strangers who might have overheard her. Goku rubbed her sore head as Chi-Chi calmly placed the purse beneath her seat again, closing her eyes, crossing her arms and refusing to answer Goku's question.

"But I'm starving, Chi-Chi!" Goku exclaimed, fidgeting even more as Chi-Chi continued to ignore her.

"They're presenting the diplomas in alphabetical order." Bulma informed Goku, her eyes forward as she listened to the same monotonous voice as before announcing the names of the graduates one by one. "I think this should be the end of the Rs now…so Gohan and Videl should be graduating soon." She announced reassuringly, as everyone set their sights on the stage and waited to see the two people they came to see here.

"Penny Sanford...Videl Satan..." The poor student whose name was announced next could not be heard over the roaring crowd, cheering unbelievably loudly over the daughter of Hercule Satan as Hercule ran in front of the stage with his entourage, hooting and hollering as he egged the crowd on to cheer louder. Even with the far distance between the stage and their seats, the group could see Videl's humiliated blush as she accepted her diploma and shook hands with the principal, her eyes downcast the whole time.

"Go, Videl!" Goten cheered excitedly as he jumped in his seat. He leaned forward, grabbing the seat in front of him as his smile grew wider at seeing the next person just about to walk onto the stage.

"Look, Mom! It's Gohan!" He shouted as he hopped excitedly in place. Chi-Chi beamed proudly at the sight of Gohan receiving his diploma as his name was called.

"Yeah, Gohan!" Goku cheered loudly with a wide smile, her hands bracing her mouth to amplify the sound. Chi-Chi stood from her seat, pumping her fist into the air in celebration.

"That's my boy! Go Gohan!" She yelled so loudly that Goku and Bulma, the two nearest to her, winced at the sound. Gohan frowned in embarrassment as he mutely crossed the stage, catching up with Videl so the two could console each other after enduring that embarrassment from their families. Goku laughed at their relieved expressions as she stood from her seat.

"I'm going to see Gohan." She said with her hands on her hips before sprinting past Goten, Krillin and 18 to the end of the row.

"Go-!" Chi-Chi stopped herself before yelling Goku's name loudly again as she helplessly sank in her seat. "You're not supposed to leave until everyone has graduated." She said sadly, quickly snatching Goten by the back of his shirt before the boy could follow his father.

"Great. Now we're the ones stuck sitting here." Krillin muttered miserably, before forcing himself to smile at Chi-Chi, who was already glaring at him for that comment.

"Not me." Vegeta replied suddenly, standing from his seat and walking away. Bulma quickly stood and attempted to pull him back by his jacket, but Vegeta easily shook her off and continued walking.

"Hey! Get back here, Vegeta!" Bulma yelled as she stomped her foot and huffed. "Saiyans!" She exclaimed derisively as she sat back down, glaring at Vegeta's back as he continued walking away.

* * *

Goku quickly reached Gohan and Videl, who spun in surprise to see her. "Gohan!" Goku exclaimed as she clapped a heavy hand on Gohan's back. "Congratulations!" She exclaimed as Gohan blushed at his father's proud expression and mumbled a thank you. "Congratulations to you, too, Videl." Goku added genuinely as she smiled at Videl. Videl bowed her head in gratitude with a small smile as their friends looked on curiously at Goku.

"Who's your friend, Gohan?" The blonde male asked interestedly as he rudely propped an elbow on Gohan's shoulder. He looked Goku up and down as Gohan gave him a disgusted look and responded defensively.

"She's my-" Gohan cut himself off before saying 'dad', which could have been incredibly embarrassing. He was thankful for Goku's warning look she had shot him just in time as he corrected himself. "-aunt." Gohan finished with a relieved sigh.

"Really? Your mom's got a younger sister?" The other teen asked as he attempted to subtly look down Goku's shirt.

"Knock it off, Sharpner!" Their other blonde friend scolded as she pushed Sharpner harshly. She turned to Goku with a friendly smile. "Hi! I'm Erasa." She said as she offered her hand, which Goku stared at blankly until she dropped it again. "So, does your aunt have a name, Gohan?" She asked as she crossed her arms with a sassy attitude.

"Yeah! She's my aunt..." Gohan trailed off as he looked around frantically in hopes of finding a name, his eyes landing on the diploma in Videl's hand. "...Ploma!" Gohan exclaimed as Goku's face contorted contemptuously.

"Ploma?!" Goku cried as Gohan glared sharply at her in warning.

"Yes, Aunt Ploma." Gohan said through his teeth as he nodded slowly with his eyes on Goku. Goku frowned reluctantly.

"Nice to meet you, _Aunt Ploma_." Erasa said with a smile, placing playful emphasis on the name.

"Very nice, indeed." Sharpner said with a smirk as he sleeked his hair back and stepped toward Goku's naive countenance.

"Okay! Very nice for everyone!" Gohan cried as he put his arm over Sharpner's shoulder in a friendly manner and forcefully pulled his classmate away from his father.

"Videl! Videl!" A husky voice called, becoming louder as the man calling for Videl neared, knocking people over as he passed through the crowd. The group turned to face Mister Satan, who aptly swooped Videl into a big bear hug as he teared with pride. "Oh, my little girl! I'm so proud of you!" He exclaimed as he rubbed his cheek roughly against Videl's.

"Okay, Daddy. You're embarrassing me now!" Videl growled through her teeth as she pushed her father away with her eyes on her snickering friends. Upon releasing Videl, Mister Satan noticed Gohan and Goku, his eyes lighting in realization.

"Oh! Go-" Mister Satan exclaimed before Goku slapped her hand over Mister Satan's mouth and smoothly pulled him away from the group of teens.

"Congratulations again, everyone!" Goku called over her shoulder with her hand still over Mister Satan's mouth. Gohan nodded thankfully to his father as he engaged in conversation with Videl and their friends, slowly drawing their attention away from the spectacle of Goku's seemingly odd behavior. Mister Satan walked along with Goku, his eyes wide with confusion until they were alone and Goku released her hold over his mouth. "Sorry about that, Mister Satan. But you can't tell those kids who I am. I'm supposed to be dead, you know! And…a man." She added with a perplexed expression and a shrug.

"Oh! That's right!" Mister Satan exclaimed, laughing loudly at his near blunder.

"Mister Satan! Mister Satan!" The call of reporters, scurry of feet and clicking of cameras approached as Mister Satan grumbled at the impinging crowd.

"Ugh! They found me again." He muttered, rolling his eyes as if he didn't actually enjoy his fame. He put on a bold smile as Goku took a step away. "Yes, everyone! Here I am!" He said proudly, striking a pose for the cameras.

"Mister Satan, who is this lovely young lady?" One of the reporters asked, sticking a microphone in Mister Satan's face and gently grabbing Goku by the shoulder, attempting to push her into the picture. When she didn't budge, the reporter frowned in confusion. Goku's eyes widened when she realized what he wanted, and she obliged him, stepping closer to Mister Satan with a doubtful look as she wondered what this was about. "Is she a new love interest of yours?" The reporter asked suggestively, smiling widely as he presented the microphone in Mister Satan's face.

"Uh…Uh… Yes!" Mister Satan replied anxiously as he wrapped an arm around Goku's shoulder, pulling her tightly against him. "This is…Cassandra!" He said with a wary smile, rubbing his cheek against Goku's.

"Eww! No way!" Goku yelled, pushing Mister Satan away forcefully and sending him careening into a nearby wall. Mister Satan twitched from the crumbling wall he was planted in as Goku rubbed her cheek in disgust, walking away and grimacing deeply. "I'd never kiss your ugly, hairy face!" She exclaimed without turning back to look at him, as the reporters watched her speechlessly. They turned their attention to Mister Satan, bringing the microphones as close to him as they possibly could.

"M-Mister Satan…what just happened?" One asked awkwardly while the others remained speechless.

"…Women…right?" Mister Satan grumbled, his voice shaking as he attempted to right himself, but he instead groaned loudly and slumped in defeat. The crowd gasped, instantly alerting Mister Satan as he used all his strength to push himself out of the hole with a forced smile, giving a bow to the people who sighed in relief. "Everything is okay. I trained her well!" He claimed proudly. "But, I need to spend some time alone with my daughter now. Today is a special day!" He exclaimed, huffing with relief as the reporters nodded in acceptance and began turning around. He forced his large smile to remain until the reporters cleared out. Sighing with relief again, Mister Satan collapsed on the ground, moaning wearily until he passed out.

* * *

"Where is Goku?" Chi-Chi asked, frowning as she walked through the crowds surrounding the graduation stage, having already congratulated Gohan who now walked beside her with Videl. Most of the group was together, traveling in a mass and becoming irritable at Goku's disappearance, as they were _all_ hungry now, and planning to go out and eat to celebrate the occasion.

"Maybe we'll find her faster if we split up." Krillin suggested, 18 immediately nodding with him in agreement.

"Fine! If she doesn't show up soon, we're leaving without her." Chi-Chi decided stubbornly as she split from the group with Gohan, Goten and Videl.

Krillin, 18, and Maron headed off in a different direction with Yamcha as Oolong, Master Roshi and Ox King became distracted easily by young ladies in the crowds and set off individually. Bulma grabbed Vegeta by the hand, leading him towards the concessions, where she intended to search for Goku, until she discovered some jewelry for sale and decided to shop while she waited. Vegeta quickly became bored and left her, venturing on his own to grab some food while he impatiently waited to get a real meal.

* * *

Vegeta was just finishing a quick hot dog as he caught sight of Krillin's search party passing, 18 becoming just as distracted by the same jewelry tent that had drawn Bulma's attention as she split from the group and began shopping with Maron. Vegeta groaned at the stupidity of this whole sorry excuse for a search as a familiar voice nearby drew his attention.

"I _am_ married." She explained to someone, her pronunciation sounding unclear as she was apparently eating something. Vegeta glanced past the nearest tent to the ice cream concession, where Goku was standing with a strange man, talking and eating an ice cream cone.

"That's too bad." The man replied, smiling charmingly at her as Goku's eyes widened in surprise.

"It is?" She asked cluelessly.

"Yeah, I mean, if you weren't married-" Vegeta stepped forward frowning irritatedly as Goku caught sight of him and immediately smiled and waved, interrupting the man.

"Vegeta!" She called as Vegeta ignored her and walked to the man aggressively.

"Beat it." Vegeta told him gruffly, turning his back to the man as if he were gone already and he prepared to address Goku.

"Is this your husband?" The man asked Goku over Vegeta's shoulder as Vegeta sneered in annoyance.

"I said beat it!" Vegeta ordered again as Goku nodded in agreement, smiling apologetically at the man.

"Sorry, Stan. I need to talk to Vegeta. Thanks for the ice cream!" Goku called loudly as the man was already walking away and muttering resentfully. She turned her attention to Vegeta with a scolding frown. "Vegeta, that wasn't very nice. Stan is a really nice guy. I didn't have any money for ice cream, so he bought it for me."

"Kakarot, you idiot!" Vegeta spat contemptuously. "He wasn't being _nice_. He was hitting on you!" Goku frowned dubiously as Krillin and Yamcha turned the corner, catching sight of the two and sighing in relief at Goku being found. "You have…" Vegeta pointed uncomfortably to Goku's face, "…ice cream…on your nose." Goku gaped in surprise and crossed her eyes in an attempt to see it.

"Where?" She asked.

"On your nose!" Vegeta repeated, gesturing again at the obvious location. Goku giggled as she playfully asked again.

"Where? Show me."

"Right here!" Vegeta growled as he swiped his finger across Goku's nose, displaying his creamy-confection-laden digit in Goku's face.

"Oh!" Goku exclaimed with a giggle as she grabbed Vegeta's hand and placed her mouth over the tip of Vegeta's finger, sucking up the sweet taste as Vegeta's mouth dropped in shock. "Mmmm. Thanks!" She exclaimed with a wide grin. "Where is everybody? Isn't it time we get something to eat?" Goku asked casually. Vegeta continued to stare in shock as Goku walked off, catching up to Chi-Chi and Gohan as they passed. Krillin and Yamcha stood equally speechless until Krillin nudged Yamcha after a few minutes.

"Yamcha, am I going nuts, or was Goku just flirting with Vegeta?" Krillin asked dubiously as Yamcha slowly nodded.

"Yeah. Weird." Yamcha replied, his face deeply contorted in confusion as Vegeta turned to look at the two as if he heard their conversation. Vegeta growled angrily at the onlookers as he stormed off to catch up with the group, which had mostly rejoined and were on their way to their cars. "Maybe…Goku didn't know what she was doing." Yamcha tried to explain with a shrug.

"Yeah, you're right. I mean, I don't even know if Goku knows _how_ to flirt. And she's still not used to being a woman. Maybe it just happens easier for women." Krillin speculated, tilting his head with a frown as he watched Vegeta catch up to the group. Yamcha clapped his hand harshly on Krillin's back, pulling them both out of their stupor as they smiled amicably at each other.

"Come on, Krillin. We better catch up or those Saiyans won't leave any food for us by the time we get to the restaurant!" Yamcha exclaimed as Krillin laughed in agreement and they ran to catch the others, climbing into the car as everyone started their engines and headed to the restaurant for a celebratory meal.


	18. Dinner Disaster

Bulma hung up her phone, smiling with satisfaction as everyone sat around the dinner table, gazing at their menus. "My parents are on their way with Trunks." She declared happily as she pocketed her phone. "He wouldn't want to miss this meal." She added, smiling and happily winking at Goten who hoorayed before holding his menu up in front of his face again.

"Chi-Chi, order for me. I have to use the bathroom." Goku explained as she stood from her seat.

"A-a-w-wait!" Chi-Chi called frantically as Goku looked over her shoulder, her hand still on the chair she just pushed in. "You do know which bathroom to use, right?" Chi-Chi prompted with a concerned expression. Goku immediately laughed.

"Of course! The-" Goku stopped abruptly, her face contorting in confusion for a just a moment. "Ladies' room!" She exclaimed as Chi-Chi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wait! I'll come with you." Bulma said, gracefully standing from her chair and walking by Goku's side.

"Why?" Goku asked, looking at Bulma in bewilderment.

"Maybe you can explain the answer to that one for all of us when you get back." Yamcha said mockingly as Bulma narrowed her eyes peevishly at her ex.

"Let's go, Goku." Bulma said, grabbing Goku by the hand and heading away from the table as she spun arrogantly in the direction of the bathrooms. The waiter approached the table, serving the drinks after Bulma and Goku left, following with taking everyone's meal orders. The waiter practically fell over by the time everyone's order was placed.

"Uh...I'm going to have to check the kitchen before I put these orders in. Be right back." He exclaimed anxiously as he stacked the menus and dashed towards the kitchen. Bulma and Goku returned to the table as the waiter followed them from the swinging door of the kitchen. "I put your orders in to the kitchen, but you'll have to be patient with us." The waiter explained as Bulma's parents arrived at the restaurant with Trunks. "We aren't used to accommodating for so much...food." He added with a disbelieving frown.

"That's okay!" Goku exclaimed with a big smile. Her smile turned hopeful as she gestured as if holding something tiny between her fingers. "Can you just bring us a little something to hold us over while we wait for the rest?"

"O-okay." The waiter replied anxiously, turning back to the kitchen at the intimidating scowl of Vegeta, who was not as content about the wait as Goku.

"Suno? Suno!" A voice called, approaching their table. The commotion of greeting and seating new people created noisy chatter and bustling activity at the table while the speaker approached, causing him to remain unnoticed for a moment, until Goku's eyes suddenly widened in realization. She turned to face the tall, handsome man, who now stood right behind her, as Vegeta followed her gaze and glared at the figure.

"Stan! Hi!" She exclaimed with a smile. Everyone else at the table frowned in confusion as Stan from the ice cream stand addressed Goku again.

"I thought that was you. I just wanted to say...it was nice meeting you earlier." He said with a coy smile under the scrutinizing gaze of everyone at the table.

"Thanks, Stan. It was nice meeting you, too!" Goku said with a cheery smile. She stared at him expectantly, unsure of why he bothered to come over, and Stan frowned in disappointment.

"Didn't Kakarot tell you she was married?" Vegeta asked hostilely as he narrowed his eyes at the unwanted guest.

"Kakarot?" Stan looked at Goku in confusion. "I thought your name was Suno." Goku smiled and nodded, unable to explain the confusing fake names she had accumulated. Stan frowned warily as he realized that he was imposing. "I don't mean to interrupt your celebration. I'll be going now." He said apologetically, addressing the entire group, who were all looking at him with various expressions and reactions. He turned to Goku one last time with a warm smile. "Enjoy your dinner, Suno." He turned to leave and Goku watched him go with an indifferent shrug.

"Who was that, Dad?" Goten asked with innocent curiosity.

"And why did he call you 'Suno'?" Trunks piped in from beside his friend, glancing from the menu he was hurriedly perusing.

"Uh…" Goku rubbed the back of her head as everyone looked at her expectantly. "Well…he bought me some ice cream earlier…and I told him my name was Suno because I wasn't supposed to tell anyone at the graduation my real name." Goku answered with a small smile.

"Where did you get the name 'Suno', Goku?" Bulma asked curiously before sipping her drink through her straw. "I'm surprised you came up with a name on your own."

"It's the name of a girl I knew." Goku answered, unaware of the jealous glare from her wife beside her.

"What girl?!" Chi-Chi asked as she glowered at Goku. Goku laughed off Chi-Chi's sudden anger, before frowning at her steady, unrelenting glare.

"I met her a long time ago, when I was just a kid, Chi-Chi!" Goku exclaimed nervously. "She was just a nice girl that helped me once, that's all." Goku added, placing her hands up defensively as Chi-Chi calmed but remained glaring suspiciously.

"Nice like _Stan_, Kakarot?" Vegeta jeered accusingly as Goku frowned spitefully back at him. The waiter arrived with a few appetizers and everyone began eating. Trunks and Bulma's parents ordered their meals and the waiter left, promising that the food would be right out. Vegeta stood from the table without a word as Bulma quickly grabbed him before he moved away from the table.

"Where are you going?" She asked suspiciously.

"To the bathroom. Did you want to go with me, too?" Vegeta responded sarcastically. "Or is Kakarot the only one who gets to have that honor?" Bulma huffed and crossed her arms, glaring at her husband.

"I don't know." She remarked facetiously. "Do you think you can handle finding the right bathroom by yourself?" She retorted with a doubtful tone as she narrowed her eyes. Goku laughed at Bulma's quip as Vegeta glared at Bulma, then Goku, growling as he stomped off to the bathroom.

Right after Vegeta left the table, a team of waiters arrived, carrying trays full of food. They launched into chaotic frenzy placing the right food in front of the right people, then gathered together, huffing exhaustedly after the completed task. The group was already digging into their food, some eating at a frantic pace while others chattered and ate normally. The waiters watched them eating with confounded expressions which stayed on their faces until someone from another table called for a waiter, breaking them of their inertness.

"Oooo!" Goku gushed excitedly as she reached across the table over her half-emptied plates. "Chicken Teriyaki! I didn't see this on the menu!" She smiled delightedly as she grabbed a skewer, biting off the chicken within seconds. Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow at her as Goku reached for another skewer. Chi-Chi shook her head before taking another small bite from her own meat.

"Goku, I didn't order any Chicken Teriyaki." Chi-Chi said calmly as Goku raised her eyebrows in surprise but continued eating.

"Id dat sho? Dass too bad! Iss weally goo!" Goku exclaimed happily with her mouthful.

"Hey!" Bulma yelled suddenly in realization. "That's Vegeta's Chicken Teriyaki!" She exclaimed scoldingly, just as Vegeta was returning from the bathroom, overhearing Bulma's exclamation.

"What?!" Vegeta furiously exclaimed as he stood looking at the plate, seeing only two full skewers left, the others barren and stained with the delicious juices of chicken long gone.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled wrathfully. Goku laughed happily, paying no attention to Vegeta as he reached forward, grabbing the plate of Goku's food that was nearest to him. Goku's eyes widened as she realized something was wrong and she looked at the table in front of her, possessively taking account of all her foods.

"My roast duck!" She shouted as she stood from the table, slapping both hands on it as she glared at Vegeta. Vegeta glared right back as he wrapped one arm protectively around the stolen plate, using the other to concurrently stuff all the mouth-watering pieces of roast duck into his mouth before Goku's outstretched hand could stop him. "No!" Goku yelled dramatically as Bulma and Chi-Chi both grabbed the backs of the angered Saiyans' clothing and pulled them into their seats from where they stood.

"Will you two calm down?!" Bulma scolded irately through her teeth as Chi-Chi glared just as harshly at the two Saiyans. Vegeta continued glaring challengingly at Goku as he swallowed the roast duck and huffed in satisfaction, making a show of how delicious it was as Goku fumed and stood irately from her seat again.

"You're acting like children! We're in a fine restaurant here!" Chi-Chi yelled, blushing and glancing over her shoulder self-consciously as she pulled Goku back into her seat.

"Stop it!" Bulma ordered as they began reaching across the table and Chi-Chi put her hands in front of both Saiyans to fend off any more food stealing. Bulma waved over the nearest waiter frantically. "We'll just order more Chicken Teriyaki and roast duck. Then you two keep your hands on your own plates!" Bulma decided as the waiter reached her with a worried yet expectant look and Goku and Vegeta continued staring each other down, but calmed at her promise. Bulma turned politely to the waiter, her tone immediately changing after the harsh one she had used seconds ago towards the Saiyans. "Could we please have another order of roast duck and more Chicken Teriyaki?"

Everyone at the table was silent and tense. By now, all the attention from former conversations at the table was diverted to the scene of Goku and Vegeta's near fight. The waiter gulped nervously as all eyes shifted to him, expectantly, worriedly, and hopefully awaiting the desired response. He frowned apologetically and pulled at his collar, noticing it was suddenly very hot in the restaurant. "I'm sorry, but we're all out." He said meekly as the restaurant seemed to go dead silent.

"Oh no." Master Roshi groaned worriedly, voicing the thoughts of everyone else at the table. Goku and Vegeta locked eyes for just a moment. Then they immediately began savagely reaching for all the food between them, claiming everything they could as they shoved things in their mouths and ripped foods from each other's hands. The people closest to them screamed and stood back from the table.

"Gohan, stop them!" Chi-Chi yelled desperately, blushing profusely as all the waiters and restaurant patrons gawked at the noisy fight.

"What do you expect _me_ to do?" Gohan asked in fear and frustration as he embraced Videl protectively and sensed Goku and Vegeta's power levels increasing in their frenzy.

"We'll stop them!" Trunks and Goten exclaimed excitedly as they jumped out of their seats to stand in alignment.

"Oh, no you won't! Not here!" Chi-Chi growled as she grabbed Goten by the ear and pulled him back into his seat. Bulma was already by Trunks, doing the same. Krillin crossed his arms and closed his eyes in irritation, a slight blush forming on his face at enduring being present at this table.

"You remember when Vegeta first came to Earth with Nappa?" He muttered. "He killed a bunch of Goku's friends, threatened the life of his only son, threatened the planet..." Krillin shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah?" Gohan replied absently as he continued staring wide-eyed at the chaotic scene, wincing in sympathy as Goku bit into Vegeta's hand in an attempt to steal the food he held and Vegeta yelled loudly in pain before punching Goku in retaliation.

"I don't think Goku was half as angry at Vegeta then as she is right now." Krillin grumbled, frowning contemptuously.

"Really?" 18 asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "Saiyans are weird." 18 frowned disinterestedly as the thumping, shouting, banging and clanging of dishes from Goku and Vegeta's fight gradually quieted. Krillin opened one eye hesitantly, glancing at the fight and heaving a heavy sigh.

"Is it over?" A shaky voice asked from underneath the table. Goten and Trunks pulled the tablecloth up as they looked beneath the table, smiling widely at the sight of Oolong and Mister Satan, who were trembling protectively on the ground.

"Yeah. You can come out now." Trunks answered with an amused tone as he pushed his chair aside to make room for them. Oolong and Mister Satan warily crawled from beneath the table, glancing in the direction of the fight as they stood.

Their jaws dropped upon seeing the table cracked down the middle and all their friends besides the guilty parties blushing profusely as the surrounding strangers stared in open-mouthed disbelief. Goku and Vegeta were still angrily fuming as they continued to compete for what little scraps of food remained on the table, pushing each other out of the way repetitively and growling at each other, occasionally yelling an insult or objection at one another. Chi-Chi frowned deeply as she violently swung her purse over her shoulder and approached Goku from behind.

"Let's go!" She yelled at Goku, pulling her away from the table by her hair, though Goku remained intently focused on the food, continuing to reach for things as she was dragged from the table.

"You, too, Vegeta!" Bulma yelled, glaring at her husband as she attempted to pull on him, but he smacked her hand away effortlessly. Bulma huffed as Vegeta stood on his own, no longer having a reason to remain at the table with Goku and the food gone. Vegeta stormed out of the restaurant, violently bumping Goku into the doorway on the way through the exit.

"Vegeta!" Goku yelled furiously at the intentional disturbance as they stepped outside.

"Shut up, Kakarot! You started this!" Vegeta yelled, only bothering to reply because Bulma grabbed his arm soothingly, and Trunks grasped his free hand. If he weren't tied down, he would have flown off alone by now.

"_I_ did?" Goku asked incredulously. "You stole my duck!" Goku screamed in reply to Vegeta's accusation.

"You stole my chicken first!" Vegeta retorted, lunging towards Goku as he broke free from Bulma's grasp and Trunks attempted to hold Vegeta back.

"Not on purpose!" Goku replied petulantly. Vegeta scoffed at her denial, broke free from Trunks, and flew off angrily as Bulma growled with frustration.

"Get in the car, Goku!" Chi-Chi ordered, giving Goku a warning glare. "And you better still be in there when I get there!" She added threateningly. Goku was watching Vegeta's path in the sky, scowling angrily before Chi-Chi addressed her. She quickly turned at Chi-Chi's warning, frowning with reluctance before obeying her irate wife.

"I settled things with the restaurant." Dr. Briefs told the others with a serious frown as he exited the restaurant, pocketing his wallet.

"The damage was that bad, huh?" Oolong asked sympathetically as Dr. Briefs turned to him in surprise.

"No! Not at all. What's a few thousand zeni?" Dr. Briefs said with a shrug as he smiled at the others. "But they have a lot of damage to recover from in there. It seems they need some help fixing up the place." He added sadly. Chi-Chi smirked with determination before setting her sights on the car.

"I know just the person to do the work for them." She decided with a nod, smiling victoriously at an unsuspecting Goku.

* * *

Hours later, Goku was finally relaxing at home, having just finished saying goodnight to her sons and apologizing to Gohan for making a scene at his celebration. Chi-Chi came up behind Goku where she sat at the kitchen table and massaged her shoulders soothingly.

"Goku, you've been acting strange lately." Chi-Chi commented as Goku sighed heavily at the soothing massage. "You're so tense!" She noted as she continued to work out the knots she felt in Goku's shoulders.

"Yeah, that's not like me. I'm sorry, Chi-Chi." Goku said sincerely as Chi-Chi removed her hands and stepped in front of Goku, studying her face carefully. "Thanks for that, Chi-Chi." Goku said as she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, looking more loose and relaxed than before. "I think I'm just gonna go to bed now." Goku decided, smiling warmly at Chi-Chi before heading to the stairs. Chi-Chi carefully watched Goku ascending the stairs, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"It must be getting to her, being a woman. Maybe there's something I can do to help Goku." Chi-Chi said to herself before quickly tidying the living room and following Goku up the stairs.


	19. Fighting You

Goku was just lying down as Chi-Chi walked into the bedroom that night in her attractive lingerie which she rarely wore with a coy smile on her face. Goku sat up upon seeing the unexpected sight.

"Chi-Chi, why are you dressed like that?" Goku asked, completely baffled as she pulled the sheets down to welcome Chi-Chi in the bed beside her. Chi-Chi climbed in slowly, averting her gaze from meeting Goku's eyes. Goku rubbed Chi-Chi's arms, creating warmth from friction as she smiled warmly and tried to meet Chi-Chi's eyes. "You're shivering."

"Goku...I missed you so much when you were dead." Chi-Chi said, finally meeting Goku's eyes with a heartfelt expression.

"I'm sorry about that, Chi-Chi." Goku replied as she grabbed Chi-Chi's hands soothingly.

"I know. You told me enough when you came back. And...you showed me, too." Chi-Chi added, blushing as she shyly glanced away. Goku smirked arrogantly at the memories; it was easy enough to connect the dots with Chi-Chi starting this conversation in the bed, dressed the way she was.

"Now that you're a woman, I've been missing that part of being with you all over again." Chi-Chi gripped Goku's hands tightly as she took a deep breath. "So...I'm willing to give it a try, if you are." Chi-Chi whispered, blushing profusely.

"Try what, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked as she endearingly tucked a stray lock of hair behind Chi-Chi's ear. At Chi-Chi's disappointed frown, Goku added in a reassuring tone, "I'm willing to try whatever you want." Chi-Chi smiled shyly again, reaching a hand up to stroke Goku's cheek. She hesitantly leaned forward, locking her lips gently with Goku's. When she didn't pull away immediately, Goku's eyes widened in realization as she gently pushed Chi-Chi away.

"You mean…? Chi-Chi, I don't think it's possible for two women to do that!" Goku exclaimed loudly in surprise. Chi-Chi harshly shushed Goku, knowing Goten and Gohan were asleep and did not want them waking up.

"I...don't really know how, but I do know it's possible!" Chi-Chi exclaimed with newfound determination. Goku frowned doubtfully, feeling suddenly reluctant about agreeing so quickly to this. "Goku, if we don't like it, we can stop at any time." Chi-Chi said pleadingly. Goku met Chi-Chi's gaze, smiling cautiously. If Chi-Chi could try to make it work, Goku should be able to. After all, she'd enjoyed sex with this woman plenty of times before in a different body. Goku closed her eyes and focused, trying to arouse images of their past couplings in a way that might excite her about Chi-Chi's proposition.

Goku exhaled heavily as she kissed Chi-Chi again, this time deepening the kiss and parting her lips in a subtle offer for Chi-Chi to take it a step further. When Chi-Chi's tongue slowly, shyly met hers, Goku shivered at the contact, noting the same reaction from Chi-Chi. She pulled away with a trembling breath and quickly kissed Chi-Chi again, more passionately this time. The kisses were nice. Very smooth and gentle, and despite her hesitance, she found it was not as awkward as she expected it to be. Goku decided it was time to take it to the next step, and slowly raised her hand by her side as she continued kissing Chi-Chi. She noticed Chi-Chi's breathing become shallow as she did so, as if Chi-Chi were anticipating her next move. Goku reached forward, gently cupping her hand around Chi-Chi's breast. Chi-Chi moaned into her mouth at the contact, and Goku panted nervously as she continued to fondle her wife's breast beneath the satiny material. Chi-Chi pulled away with a heavy sigh, looking worriedly at Goku.

"Goku, are you alright?" She asked warily, blushing again. Goku frowned. Chi-Chi knew Goku's behaviors in this regard, which clearly showed by her stopping when she did.

"Does this feel as strange to you as it does to me?" Goku asked with a hopeful half-smile. Chi-Chi chuckled nervously.

"I'm sure it's stranger for me. _I've_ never been with a woman before!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as she suddenly grabbed Goku's breasts firmly with both hands, holding her breath as she waited for something to happen. "No." She relented as she released her hold on Goku, exhaling heavily. "Nothing. This isn't going to work, is it?" Goku shook her head side to side, wearing a small, knowing smile as Chi-Chi began laughing and plopped backwards into her pillow. Goku laughed with her, following suit with the same action as they laughed even harder together. After a while, their laughter subsided and they looked at each other, content to just be. Chi-Chi suddenly looked concerned as she propped herself on her elbow and turned to face Goku.

"Goku...why didn't that feel right to _you_?" She asked as Goku frowned and gulped nervously as she realized her wife might discover something she didn't want her knowing. Chi-Chi's jaw dropped in realization and Goku clapped a hand over her face, blushing in mortification under Chi-Chi's scrutinizing gaze. "Goku! **You're attracted to men**?!" Chi-Chi yelled so loudly that the house practically shook. Goku panicked, tackling Chi-Chi to the ground as she shushed her frantically.

"Chi-Chi! The boys! Keep it down!" Goku hissed desperately through her teeth as they landed on the floor with a light thump, the tangled sheets wrapped around them softening their fall. Goku and Chi-Chi froze for a moment, listening carefully for any sounds in the house indicating that the boys may have heard Chi-Chi's outburst. Chi-Chi studied Goku's face after not hearing anything herself for a while, knowing Goku would sense something before she did. When Goku relaxed her tense expression and sighed in relief, Chi-Chi did the same and freed her limbs from the sheets. The two stood together as Chi-Chi heaved the sheets back onto the bed. Goku and Chi-Chi stood silently looking at one another before Goku silently climbed back into bed, pulling the sheets tightly to her chin as she rolled over and closed her eyes.

"I love you, Goku." Chi-Chi said reassuringly as she climbed into bed as well, switching off the lamp on the bedside table. Goku heaved a sigh of relief, as she really didn't know how Chi-Chi would react to the new discovery.

"I love you, too, Chi-Chi." Goku agreed, glancing over her shoulder and smiling brightly at Chi-Chi, who lay on her back, watching Goku in the subtle starlight of the darkened room. "When we make the wish with the Dragonballs, everythingabout me will be back to normal." She assured her wife as she settled back into her pillow, her eyes narrowing with determination as she decided to set to work right away returning herself to normal once the Dragonballs activated. And now that she probably had one in the house, she could know exactly when that happened just by watching it.

* * *

Vegeta crossed his arms tightly and scowled irritably as he watched the trucks driving away with the debris he had cleared from the restaurant. Now it was done. Now he wouldn't have to work with _her_. Bulma's _fantastic_ plan was not going to work on the prince of all Saiyans. It was a stupid plan, anyways. What good could have come from Vegeta working on a project with that third class woman? Even if the damage was partially caused by him, that was irrelevant. Of course, now, having done all that work alone and enduring the niceties of the restaurant staff, Vegeta was even more irritated with Goku than before. This was all her fault! Vegeta spat disdainfully as he sensed the nearing energy, turning his gaze up to the sky as she landed with her unsurprisingly baffled expression.

"Vegeta! What are you doing here?" She asked, tilting her head and walking up to him in a t-shirt, jeans, boots, jacket and a scarf. She was dressed casually for the work she had expected to be doing today, which wouldn't be happening now. Not the way she thought. "I see. Bulma put you up to this." Goku added with a smug smile. Vegeta snorted angrily at her remark.

"It's taken care of." Vegeta replied abruptly with a deep frown.

"Oh!" Goku replied, contorting her eyebrows in confusion as she studied Vegeta curiously before glancing into the window of the newly restored restaurant with its smiling owners. "You did this?" She asked in disbelief. Vegeta nodded solemnly. "Wow. Thanks, Vegeta." Goku said happily, sighing in relief as she began walking away.

"We're not done here, Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled before Goku could disappear so quickly.

"What? But you said it's-" Goku began as she turned to face Vegeta again.

"The restaurant is done. You and I are not." Vegeta said seriously. Goku frowned, walking up to Vegeta with a determined expression.

"Yes, we are." Goku said pointedly as she stared into Vegeta's eyes. Vegeta assumed an amused smirk.

"Oh? I wasn't talking about _that_, Kakarot. I was done with you before the graduation." Vegeta said bitingly as Goku faltered in incredulity.

"Oh! Well…good!" Goku huffed indignantly. She looked around warily, rubbing the back of her neck as Vegeta calmly stared at her. "So…" She trailed off as Vegeta quickly spoke, giving Goku a challenging look.

"I want a fight, Kakarot. A good fight. No interruptions. And I want it right now." Vegeta demanded as Goku raised a brow skeptically.

"That kinda defeats the purpose of all the work you just did on this restaurant." Goku said as she gestured to the building.

"Not here!" Vegeta yelled irritatedly. "How about where we first fought? Seems appropriate enough." Vegeta suggested.

"Alright!" Goku agreed without hesitation, becoming excited at the prospect of spending the day in a good fight. "Hey!" She exclaimed as a thought occurred to her. "Does this mean I won't owe you a favor anymore?" Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Goku calculatedly.

"Is this really a favor, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked skeptically. "You want to fight just as much as I do." He accused.

"Not really." Goku responded with an arrogant smirk. "I could go home right now. I have plenty of other things I could be doing today." She said with a smug smile. Vegeta frowned at Goku before deciding to call her on her bluff.

"Go home then." Vegeta dared as he turned his back to Goku, glancing over his shoulder after a moment to gauge her reaction. Vegeta gasped when Goku took off into the air without another word. He quickly went after her, cutting her off and stopping short in mid-air. "W-what are you doing!?" He asked anxiously.

"Going home." Goku answered quickly. "Unless you want to use that favor…?" She added mischievously as she casually glanced at her fingernails, turning her head away from Vegeta. Vegeta growled infuriatedly as Goku smirked at him.

"Fine!" Vegeta shouted, balling his fists by his sides. "Now let's go!" He exclaimed as he blasted off at an incredible speed towards the intended battlefield. Goku smirked victoriously as she followed, excited about the promised fight.

* * *

Vegeta and Goku landed at a rocky formation, seemingly the same location they fought against one another years ago. Even if it wasn't the same, it was good enough. Goku immediately began stretching as Vegeta took a good look around, taking note of elements of the landscape that could play into their fight. Once he was settled, Vegeta looked at Goku impatiently.

"Are you ready yet, Kakarot?" He asked as a breeze blew past, sand spiraling in the air between them as Goku shielded her eyes.

"Just how far are we going here?" Goku asked cautiously, eyeing Vegeta carefully.

"I suppose I can't go home and tell everyone I killed their beloved _Goku_." Vegeta said mockingly. "But as long as we're both alive, anything goes."

"Hm. Do you have senzu?" Goku asked, nodding in agreement.

"No." Vegeta frowned at Goku's disappointed reaction. "If it comes to that, we'll use the Namekian." He added, nodding his head towards the sky.

"Let's just hope he's there when I'm ready to have you healed." Goku replied with a cocky attitude as she assumed a fighting stance. Vegeta scoffed disbelievingly before smirking at the challenge and assuming his own fighting stance. They began the fight slowly, fighting at their base power for a while. They nodded in agreement when they both decided it was time, and powered up to Super Saiyan 2. After going at it for a few bouts at that stage, they separated and Vegeta glared at Goku.

"I said I wanted a good fight, Kakarot. What's so good about it if you're holding back?" Vegeta asked accusingly.

"If I power up beyond your level, Vegeta, how is that a challenge for _me_?" Goku retorted with a note of annoyance. Vegeta growled furiously before swinging at Goku in a flurry of attacks. He landed most of the punches on Goku, until Goku caught one with a smirk. "See? This is a challenge!" Goku said excitedly as she released Vegeta's fist and punched him back.

"Power up to Super Saiyan 3 now!" Vegeta ordered as he recovered from that punch. He lunged for Goku again, attacking her with another violent set of attacks. Goku continued fighting, giving no inclination that she had any intentions of powering up. Furious with her refusal, Vegeta vindictively planted his fist in Goku's chest, crushing her right breast as she recoiled and winced in pain, screaming.

"What's the big idea, Vegeta? That's not fair!" Goku complained, huffing and teary-eyed as she landed far from Vegeta and rubbed her tender breast soothingly.

"Everything is fair in a fight, Kakarot!" Vegeta countered mercilessly as Goku rubbed her breast one last time and heaved a heavy sigh as she fought off the pain. She turned her face up to Vegeta angrily, smirking after his remark.

"Oh really?" She asked as she braced her hands by her sides and launched towards him. Vegeta readied himself for her assault when Goku seemed to disappear. Just as she was reappearing behind him, he spun to face her in time to receive the brutal knee that Goku was landing between his legs. Vegeta lurched forward, his eyes bulging and spit flying from his mouth at the sudden, painful assault. "How do you like it?" She asked tauntingly as Vegeta sucked in a long breath of air, his face contorted painfully.

"You bitch!" Vegeta yelled heatedly as soon as he could breathe again, clutching his groin protectively and baring his teeth at Goku. Goku landed smoothly, far from Vegeta as she patiently waited for him to gain his bearings. She rubbed her breast again as she stilled and felt it continuing to throb painfully. Goku glared at Vegeta as she experienced her pain again, enjoying the torment on his face. She winced painfully as she wiggled to remove her jacket, which was heavily torn and falling apart from the fight.

"That's what you get for being a dick!" Goku yelled before laughing at the thought of how much King Kai would have appreciated that line. Vegeta growled loudly and powered up, launching himself at Goku and taking her by surprise as he approached her much quicker than she expected him to be able to. Vegeta landed a punch in Goku's gut, then dashed behind her, bashing her over the head with both hands and sending her spiraling into the Earth, where she created a huge crater with her violent crash. Vegeta crossed his arms and frowned as he focused on the crater. He waited as a dust cloud rose, and the dust began to settle, but there was no sign of movement from Goku. He glared at the crater, losing his patience as he realized Goku was just lying there.

"Kakarot!" He called her out as he slowly lowered to the crater. When Goku didn't budge, he sensed her power level and smirked as he dove in for another attack, pinning Goku to the ground as she appeared unconscious with her face down. "What are you going to do now, Kakarot?" Vegeta challenged to the seemingly unconscious woman pinned beneath him. The body below him shook violently and Vegeta found himself unexpectedly flipped over and pinned beneath her in a second. Goku chuckled as she held Vegeta's wrists and restrained his legs with her body. Vegeta's eyes widened in shock as Goku leaned over him domineeringly. As she got closer, Goku's taunting expression slowly changed. Her features softened as she watched Vegeta struggling against her hold and she inhaled sharply as her eyes widened fearfully. Goku sprang off of him in an attempt to flee from Vegeta.

Seeing the opportunity of gaining the upper hand, Vegeta instantly flew at Goku, pounding her into the ground again with a swift punch and pinning her into the dirt on her back. Goku's eyes widened frightfully, and Vegeta frowned in surprise.

"V-Vegeta…" Goku said as she wrestled to free herself from his grasp, "…get off of me!" She yelled, sounding panicked. Vegeta quirked an eyebrow at her odd reaction to being pinned as he leaned in closer to her, pinning his forearm against her throat. Vegeta studied the alarmed expression on Goku's face, taking in the way she breathed nervously and her heart pounded erratically and she averted her gaze from him. As she tilted her head back, turning slightly to the side both to avoid eye contact and to lessen the pressure on her throat, Vegeta found himself staring at her creamy white skin, lightly glistened with sweat. He was tempted to lick her, to taste her…

"Ah!" Vegeta yelled in a panic as he sprang off of Goku. Goku slowly sat up as Vegeta landed on a rock far from her, panting heavily. Vegeta's expression suddenly became fierce with determination as he launched at Goku with a battle cry, determined to make her bleed.

Goku sprang to her feet and countered just as fiercely, appearing to have the same mindset. She kicked for Vegeta's ribcage while Vegeta swiftly stepped offline and grabbed her by the leg with both hands with the intentions of throwing her down by it. He couldn't help being distracted by the feel of her slender thigh in his hands or the view of the perfect rear near his face. Goku took advantage of Vegeta's hesitation, using the support of Vegeta's hold to push off of his face violently with her free foot and sweep the toe of the one he held under his chin after his grip loosened at the first kick. She flipped backwards with the force of the kick and stopped herself in mid-air to find Vegeta missing.

She searched for him for a moment, then closed her eyes to feel his ki. As soon as her eyes were closed, Vegeta attacked her from behind. She moved just in time, being nicked across the cheek by Vegeta's fist. She made several moves to dodge Vegeta's rapid-fire attacks of punches and kicks, avoiding every one. When Vegeta threw a punch to her abdomen, she slid offline and looped her arm around his, trapping it against her side. She squeezed him tightly against her, her face turning towards his as he floated forward with the momentum of his attack. As his lips breezed past hers, Goku gasped and pulled back sharply to fight the temptation of closing that gap and leaning into them.

Goku yelled out of frustration as she flew higher and launched a rapidfire attack of ki at Vegeta. She gasped at the approaching figure, which skirted rapidly around the shower of ki blasts as he closed in. Vegeta swung a wide right hook to her jaw, which landed hard as she could only gape in disbelief at what was happening.

Goku crashed to the ground, laying stunned and staring at the sky. Vegeta swooped down on top of her again. As Vegeta planted his knee into her stomach upon landing, Goku didn't bother fighting him. She let out a violent cough at the assault, drops of blood spewing from her mouth as Vegeta met her eyes, his gaze softening at the lack of fight he saw in her. Vegeta clenched his teeth, growling with his own frustration as he placed both hands around Goku's neck, intending to choke her. His hands shook against his will, denying him the win he had wanted so badly as he could not bring himself to tighten his grip, only loosely resting his hands over her delicate neck.

"Kakarot…" he breathed her name shakily, his hands slowly sliding up the sides of her neck and through her hair as she panted and slightly parted her bloodied lips, the blood making her lips glisten a delicious shade of red. Vegeta licked his lips subconsciously as he lowered himself hurriedly, crushing his lips violently against Goku's own receptively awaiting lips. They both gasped deeply as they gave in to their internal struggle, no longer having the fight to deny it.


	20. Cat And Mouse

_They both gasped deeply as they gave in to their internal struggle, no longer having the fight to deny it._

Vegeta stretched his body across Goku's as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, kissing him deeply as they engaged in a frantic, passionate kiss. The pain from their injuries only seemed to heighten the pleasure of everything they felt as their bodies crushed against each other; their mouths engaging in an entirely different battle than had just taken place.

Goku ran her fingers through Vegeta's hair around the base of his neck as she pulled him closer to her, devouring his lips. Their hearts pounded fiercely in their chests as they became lost in their passion, all other thoughts pushed aside besides the immediate satisfaction of being lost in one another. Vegeta's hand trailed down Goku's neck to her chest, grasping and fondling her breast as she moaned satisfactorily at the treatment. Vegeta pulled his lips from Goku's to nibble her ear, causing her to gasp. He trailed kisses down her neck, suckling and licking up her delicious taste, in spite of the dirt floating in the air and embedded in her skin, which he hardly noticed. Goku writhed beneath Vegeta, moaning as he continued to fondle her, until she began to fidget uncomfortably with a grimace of discomfort.

"V-Vegeta…" she panted as she wiggled, "your…armor…is….digging…ha…into my…hhhhip." She breathed, her eyes half-lidded in passion as Vegeta suckled and nipped at her neck. Vegeta's free hand slid across the base of Goku's ribs, rubbing meaningfully over the area as his lips separated from her neck.

"Impossible. My armor ends right here." Vegeta whispered huskily into Goku's ear before instantly returning his lips to Goku's, crushing forcefully against hers and forcing her mouth open for a deeper kiss as her eyes narrowed in confusion. Goku wiggled again in discomfort. If that wasn't his armor…Goku paled in realization as she hurriedly began pushing Vegeta away, though he only wrapped his arms tightly around her possessively. Goku freed her lips and made an anxious exclamation.

"V-Vegeta! Sl-slow down!" She said as Vegeta neglected to follow her order, only crushing his lips to hers again. She pushed him away more forcefully. "Stop, Vegeta!" She said more anxiously as Vegeta kissed her again. Goku growled and balled her fist, landing a right hook in Vegeta's head, finally knocking him off of her. "I said stop!" She yelled as Vegeta growled in pain and skidded aside her in the dirt. Goku sat up, panting with a mixture of emotions as she eyed Vegeta.

"What?!" Vegeta yelled angrily, clutching his head as he rose to his feet. Goku blushed and bit her lip as she stood. Vegeta approached her, his eyes narrowed angrily after that unexpected and, in his opinion, unreasonable attack. Goku stepped back wide-eyed, careful to keep her distance from Vegeta as she frowned deeply at him.

"What is _that_?" Goku yelled accusatorially as she pointed at the blatant bulge that had formed in Vegeta's form-fitting pants. Vegeta looked down at himself and smirked at Goku arrogantly.

"This?" He asked with teasing amusement as he ran his hand demonstratively over the object causing Goku's terror. "Come on. You're not _that_ naïve, Kakarot." Goku grimaced and shuddered as Vegeta continued to approach her and she held her hands up defensively.

"You keep that away from me!" Goku warned as she glared at Vegeta. "There's no way I'd ever let you stick that thing in me!" She yelled stubbornly as she crossed her arms tightly. Vegeta cocked an eyebrow at Goku's warning as he stopped approaching her, but chuckled mockingly.

"Really? You say that after you've been throwing yourself at me?" Vegeta taunted as Goku's mouth dropped at his accusation.

"Throwing myself at you? I have not!" Goku retorted with a scoff. Vegeta crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, having no need to verbally argue with Goku. He only had to wait. She would eventually realize it. Like right…now. Vegeta nodded knowingly as Goku's jaw dropped before she stuttered unintelligibly.

"Face it, Kakarot. You might think you don't want it, but your body doesn't agree." Vegeta said with a cruel smirk, enjoying watching the discomfort Goku was experiencing as she was torn in two separate directions between her mind and her body.

"I-I don't care!" Goku yelled stubbornly, shaking her head as she balled her fists by her sides. "It's still not going to happen!" Vegeta stared at Goku thoughtfully, his expression dubious as he studied the frowning woman in front of him. "No way, Vegeta!" She yelled angrily, shaking her head and crossing her arms stubbornly again in reaction to Vegeta's doubtful response. After a few minutes, Vegeta's calculated scrutiny faded as his expression became more intrigued.

"Is that a challenge, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked interestedly, smirking in anticipation. Goku's eyes widened in alarm as she frowned deeply at him.

"_What!?"_ She exclaimed as she levitated into the air, preparing to make an escape.

"You don't think there's any way I could possibly make you change your mind?" Vegeta dared impishly. Goku found herself shivering at Vegeta's implication, and gulped nervously before speaking again.

"No! …I have to go, Vegeta. It must be close to lunch time by now." Goku excused herself hurriedly as she dashed into the air at an incredible speed. Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her disappearing form, smiling to himself at the intriguing new challenge put before him. This was going to redefine their rivalry. Only this time, he wouldn't be the one to be outdone.

* * *

"Are you ready, Goku?" A feminine voice called commandingly as Goku frowned at her reflection in the mirror, struggling to figure out if she was wearing this thing right. That wasn't the most bothersome issue on her mind. It had been a week since her encounter with Vegeta. She found herself tracking his ki regularly, expecting some surprise ambush at any time, which never came. Knowing Vegeta, he probably was keeping his distance intentionally, and enjoying the anxiety this would cause her. Goku sighed heavily and placed her hands on her hips. At least she knew he wouldn't surprise her today. Not when they'd have everyone else around them.

"Goku?" The voice repeated, closer this time as Goku turned to the doorway to see Chi-Chi glancing into the room with a questioning expression. Chi-Chi smiled with amusement as she tilted her head at Goku's appearance and approached her with a wistful sigh. "Ah, you'll get used to it." Chi-Chi said sympathetically as she helpfully adjusted the fit of Goku's lopsided swimsuit, then reached for the coverup resting on the nearby chair and handed it to Goku. "There." She said with finality as she placed her hands on her hips while Goku slipped the garment over her head and the length of her body as it swept the ground.

"Now, we need to get going. We're going to be late again." Chi-Chi decided as she collected the sunscreen and other needed items into the large bag over her shoulder. "I guess showing up late is better than not showing up at all." She mused aloud with a small smile. Goku smiled at her wife and nodded briefly in agreement. Chi-Chi turned to leave the room, and Goku frowned for a moment once no one was looking. Sure, it was time to go. They should have fun today. That's what Goku wanted to focus on. She'd think about all her other friends and what a fun time she would make out of the day.

"Goku! I said let's go!" Chi-Chi demanded with a fearsome shout. Goku immediately jumped at the command, and smiled as she left the room to join her family. The boys were already shouting and arguing with one another as Chi-Chi reached the living room, scolded them and quickly ended the argument. Goku smiled widely as she turned the corner to see her sons holding their heads and glancing warily at their proudly smiling mother.

"Ready to go to Kame House?" Goku asked with a big smile as she placed a hand on Goten's head, and Gohan and Chi-Chi reached for Goku's shoulders. They all smiled widely as Gohan nodded in agreement and Goku closed her eyes, concentrating on the energies of her friends already gathered on the island as they disappeared from the Son home.

* * *

A woman stormed outside through a balcony door to find her husband chuckling darkly to himself as he stared into the open air. Her eye twitched in irritation as she briefly wondered what he thought was so funny before her thoughts returned to her original intentions for seeking him out in the first place.

"Vegeta! I don't know what you think you're doing, but it's time to go!" She yelled at him as his chuckles quickly dissolved into a groan. She just had to interrupt his moment for that stupid get-together. The nervous energy radiating from Goku was a good sign. He was getting to her, and he wasn't even trying yet. Now, as for that stupid party…

"I'm not going, Bulma." Vegeta stated simply, his back turned to her as he did not bother to even turn and face her.

"I told everyone we'd be there!" Bulma objected as she approached him and reached for his arm. He waved her off and scoffed through his teeth in refusal. "How do you think that'll make me look when you don't show?" She huffed angrily, glaring at his back as she crossed her arms. Vegeta couldn't help smirking at her fiery spirit.

"Like a woman that needs to stop speaking on my behalf?" He suggested wryly, hiding his smirk as he turned his face further away and Bulma growled furiously at the rebuttal.

"Vegeta..." She seethed warningly. Vegeta knew that tone, and oftentimes would give into it. But this wasn't one of those times. He was absolutely not going to that island today, and he'd like to see her try to find some leverage over him right now. A long silence ensued, and Vegeta continued staring, not bothering to look at her, as he knew Bulma was glaring into his back, just waiting for him to give in.

"Mom! Is Papa ready yet? I want to go on the boat!" Trunks yelled, his volume becoming louder as he neared the balcony. Bulma smirked victoriously as Vegeta flinched at Trunks' request.

"See? Trunks wants you there, too. Now come on!" Bulma demanded victoriously, turning to leave as she was certain Vegeta would be joining them now. She paused at the door as she noticed the lack of footsteps following her. "Vegeta?" She asked, slightly concerned as she turned to see her unmoving husband, still frozen where he stood.

"I said I'm not going." Vegeta said calmly, though there was a low note of hostility in his voice. Bulma gaped at him for a moment, but knowing the seriousness behind his tone, closed her mouth and frowned at him in discontent rather than pushing him any further.

"Fine! What's so important that you can't be with your family and friends for a day, Vegeta?" She asked as she crossed her arms. "Let me guess. Training?" Vegeta remained silent as Bulma scoffed, assuming she knew the answer already. Bulma pursed her lips as she studied Vegeta's back, wondering what was with him lately. He seemed distracted. "You're welcome to come and join us later, if you change your mind." Bulma offered kindly with a note of hope in her voice. Vegeta softened at the address, his rigid demeanor lightening notably as Bulma smiled in slight relief. Maybe Vegeta was just being his normal self. He was probably still angry with Goku over that food fight incident and didn't want to see her. "Come on, Trunks. Let's go." Bulma called into the hallway where Trunks was anxiously waiting to leave.

"Alright!" Trunks yelled excitedly as Bulma laughed and their voices disappeared into the house. Vegeta nodded in satisfaction. That was good. They should go have their fun. He had other things to do. He frowned when he focused on Goku's ki again, to find she was gathered with the others now, and seemed happy. Of course she would be. That idiot was so easily distracted. Maybe he could use that to his advantage. Vegeta narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he continued staring into the sky. His eyes widened in surprise when he sensed another ki, almost hovering on top of him. He glanced up towards his right, sneering at the uninvited guest who was watching him closely. How long had he been there? Vegeta was irritated that he allowed himself to be distracted enough that he didn't sense him coming sooner. And the jerk knew it, too.

"Take you by surprise, Vegeta?" He jeered with a smug expression as he lowered himself onto the balcony, smirking at Vegeta. Vegeta scoffed through his teeth, glaring back at the overconfident intruder.

"What are you doing here?" Vegeta asked dismissively as he turned away.

"Not going to the party?" The intruder asked, rather than answering Vegeta's question. Vegeta scoffed.

"What does it look like?" He asked with an edge of annoyance in his voice. A long silence ensued, which could have lasted for quite a while between the two, but Vegeta wanted the other gone. "Namekians don't like parties?" He jabbed, turning just enough to see the reaction from his fellow loner. Piccolo smirked in answer as he slowly walked towards Vegeta.

"Not really. I'll stop by, though." Piccolo responded nonchalantly as he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at Vegeta. Vegeta frowned deeply at the scrutiny.

"What?!" He snapped as he turned fully to face Piccolo, glaring warningly at the unwanted attention.

"_Why_ aren't you going to the party?" Piccolo asked pointedly as he raised a questioning brow.

"I'm just not." Vegeta answered tersely. Now the Namekian was really pissing him off.

"You didn't even give in to Bulma." Piccolo said, slightly impressed by the feat. "You wouldn't be that stubborn over nothing." Piccolo added. Vegeta huffed with frustration.

"What do I have to do to get rid of you?" Vegeta asked as he raised an eyebrow impatiently at Piccolo. Piccolo took a step back, both physically and in his interrogative demeanor, at Vegeta's imposing tone. He snorted in amusement before turning to leave.

"I'll go stop by the party now." Piccolo smirked teasingly as he added, "I'll tell everyone you said hi." Vegeta growled and balled his fists angrily as he turned to argue against that, but Piccolo had already taken off in a rush. Stupid, nosy Namekian. Vegeta crossed his arms and tapped his bicep irritatedly as he wondered what had aroused Piccolo's suspicion. He couldn't be suspicious about…_that_, could he? Vegeta gazed into the air where Piccolo had been a few minutes ago with a perplexed expression as he pondered that mysterious visit.

"Vegeta? You wanted to talk to me about something?" Vegeta startled from his contemplation when he turned to the polite tone of the man standing behind him, just inside the balcony doors.

"Yes." He smirked in satisfaction as Dr. Briefs approached him with his eyebrows raised with intrigue in hearing Vegeta's latest request. It wouldn't be the first time that Vegeta had demanded an invention of him, but Dr. Briefs was more than willing to get to work. Vegeta's requests were usually quite challenging to fulfill, and Dr. Briefs loved the work.

"Well, what do you want me to build for you now?" Dr. Briefs asked as he placed a cigarette in his mouth and puffed a few times. "Not another gravity chamber, I hope. Your latest seems to be working fine." He added as he walked towards the balcony, gazing over the edge at the chamber below.

"The chamber is fine. For now." Vegeta added thoughtfully, as he considered the fact that more resistance could always be added to the thing. "This is something different." Vegeta stared menacingly at Dr. Briefs, who knit his eyebrows in puzzlement at the sudden change. "And this is just between us. No one is to know about this." Vegeta added in an ominous tone, as Dr. Briefs frowned, but nodded his acknowledgement as he awaited Vegeta's description of what was to be his latest invention.


	21. Eye Opening

A little island bearing a pink house was bustling with activity. A large yacht nestled ashore the sands of the island's beach, loaded with a few men who busied themselves with preparing the rig for an outing. On the beach, a family of four instantly appeared, all but one falling harshly to the ground at the misplacement of their landing. Goku helped her fallen wife to her feet as the boy and teenager quickly recovered on their own and darted excitedly onboard the yacht.

"Wow!" Goku exclaimed to Chi-Chi as she took in the impressive view of the yacht, to which Chi-Chi shook her head in agreement. "Yamcha, it's huge!" Goku cried with a wide smile as Yamcha appeared from inside the boat, stepping out and reading some papers.

"Oh? Oh, yeah! Hi, Goku! When did you guys get here?" Yamcha asked as he absently bumped into his other friend who was bent over the cooler. Krillin turned to Yamcha with an annoyed expression as he steadied himself from nearly falling off the boat.

"Just now, Yamcha." Krillin explained in a tone that stressed how obvious it was. "Did you expect to hear an engine pulling up or something?" He added sarcastically as he placed a hand on his hip. Goku stepped next to Krillin, having made her way onto the yacht as Chi-Chi entered the pink abode to help in the kitchen with preparing foods.

"What do you do on this thing, Yamcha?" Goku asked loudly and curiously as she began inspecting the boat, tapping and jiggling curious things on it as she accidentally broke a latch and grimaced remorsefully. "Oops." She said as she held the broken metal latch in her hand. Yamcha snatched the piece from her hand and frowned deeply at it.

"Goku! I just bought this thing! Do you know how much this piece will cost to replace?" Yamcha lamented as he set it down and began flipping through the papers he had been viewing previously.

"Sorry, Yamcha." Goku said with a hopeful smile as Yamcha whimpered and his eyes widened as he read.

"Ugh." Yamcha moaned before raising his hands appeasingly to Goku as she picked up the broken piece again and inspected it curiously. "Just…don't touch anything else, okay?" Yamcha pleaded, smiling through his teeth as Goku nodded with a wide smile.

"Sure, Yamcha." She said as she tossed the broken piece overboard carelessly, which landed right on Oolong's head with a loud metallic thump as he and Turtle were conversing beside the ship.

"Ow! Who did that?" Oolong asked angrily as he held the lump on his head and glared up towards the ship where he couldn't see who was onboard. Goku glanced overboard inquisitively at the sound of Oolong's voice, and waved with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Oolong!" She called as Oolong's eyes widened at the perfect view of cleavage he had from down there with Goku waving in her bikini and coverup. As Goku turned away, Oolong blinked, completely forgetting his anger.

"I suppose I can forgive her this time." He commented to himself as he turned to board the ship with the others.

"Where's Trunks?" Goten asked disappointedly as Oolong stepped onboard near him and he finished exploring the yacht and stood beside his father.

"Hm? Oh, Bulma and everyone haven't shown yet." Krillin answered as Goku turned to Gohan with a knowing smile.

"See? We weren't late at all." Goku said smugly as Gohan chuckled in relief.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Dad." Gohan agreed as he rubbed the back of his head and noticed Krillin needing a hand with the loaded armfuls of tackle and fishing rods he held. Gohan bent down to help pick up the live bait Krillin had dropped, grimacing at the evasive, slimy things as the group noticed an approaching engine, and cast their eyes in the direction from which it approached.

"Trunks!" Goten yelled as his eyes lit with excitement and he smiled widely at the approaching vehicle. Goten jumped off the boat, floating down to the beach and running to the landing Capsule Corporation airship.

"Goten!" Trunks called as the vehicle descended, not quite landed yet as Trunks opened the window and jumped out to greet his friend. Bulma smiled and waved as she parked the vehicle and everyone called out her name in greeting. Little Maron ran out from the house at the sound of all the excitement and joined the boys in playing on the beach.

"Hi, everyone!" Bulma called with a big smile as she jumped out of her vehicle and immediately condensed it into her capsule. Goku approached the edge of the yacht, smiling widely in relief as she waved to Bulma. Vegeta wasn't here. Now she could really relax and have fun! Goku moved an object aside as she passed to approach Bulma, and frowned deeply in confusion as it came off in her hand.

"Goku!" Yamcha called exasperatedly as he eyed the broken piece in Goku's hand.

"You mean that piece wasn't supposed to move?" Goku asked in utter confusion as she continued holding it.

"No!" Yamcha yelled as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth in frustration. "Maybe you shouldn't come with us on the yacht today." He added, somewhat apologetically. Goku frowned as she set the broken piece down.

"No way!" Another voice readily objected as someone made their way past the others to Goku and Yamcha. "She's coming with us!" He added excitedly as he attempted to brush Goku's rear with his hand, which she easily avoided with a smirk.

"Thanks, Master Roshi!" Goku smiled as she descended from the boat, approaching the house where Bulma had entered immediately after arriving. Goku entered the house to find Chi-Chi, Bulma, 18 and Videl gathered in the kitchen, giggling and talking in hushed voices. She raised her eyebrows in surprise at the sight. She had never seen them acting like that before.

"Oh, Goku!" Bulma called excitedly as she spotted Goku. "Just the girl I want to talk to." Bulma said as the others giggled and Chi-Chi blushed at Goku. Bulma pulled out the chair next to where she sat in invitation as Goku dubiously entered the kitchen.

"Really? Why?" Goku asked with a perplexed expression as Bulma smiled heinously at Goku while she took the offered seat. Bulma leaned in very close to Goku conspiratorially, as did the others, and Goku's eyes widened in alarm.

"Tell me. Do you think Yamcha's cute?" Bulma asked with a lecherous smile. Goku immediately stood from the table, eyeing the women surrounding her as if they were enemies ready to attack.

"What?!" She exclaimed in disbelief as Bulma pushed further.

"Because, you know, he broke up with his latest fling, so he's available right now." Bulma said with a smug smile as Chi-Chi glared daggers at Bulma.

"Bulma! Goku may not be interested in women, but she is still my husband!" Chi-Chi cried in outrage at Bulma's suggestion.

"What?! Chi-Chi! You told them?" Goku asked in mortification as the women all smiled and nodded.

"Sorry, Goku. It was just girl talk. These things come out." Chi-Chi apologized as she blushed slightly and cleared her throat before returning to cooking the food she had been preparing on the stove.

"But I have to know, Goku. Who, of all the guys, do you think is cute?" Bulma asked as her eyes widened and she smiled widely in anticipation. Goku gulped and glanced at the women watching her carefully. 18 seemed to be glaring warningly while Videl studied Goku with curiosity, and Bulma was biting her nails as she eagerly awaited an answer. Chi-Chi curiously glanced from her cooking at Goku occasionally, and Goku frowned. How would she get out of this one?

"Listen…don't you think, when I'm a man again, that it will be too strange for me to talk that way now?" Goku asked, wondering if she was making any sense as she tried to explain the bizarre awkwardness that was happening here.

"No." Bulma answered immediately, shaking her head as the other women did the same.

"You better stay away from Krillin, Goku." 18 warned ominously, approaching Goku in an intimidating manner. 18 eyed Goku suspiciously as Goku gawked speechlessly back. "I know you and Krillin are close, but he's mine." 18 added as she crossed her arms with a firm nod.

"I don't like Krillin like that! Or Yamcha!" Goku exclaimed in disbelief as Chi-Chi nodded in agreement.

"Of course." Chi-Chi agreed as she turned with a smug smile, crossing her arms. "The most handsome man we know is Goku as a man. If there is anyone she would like, it would be him." Chi-Chi decided confidently with a short nod before returning to her work and humming. The others turned to Goku with wide-eyed confusion as they gauged her reaction. Goku scratched her head as she took in Chi-Chi's claim with a baffled expression.

"How could Goku like herself?" Videl blurted out as the others remained speechless. "I mean, Goku, doesn't that seem weird to you?" Videl asked Goku with an almost sympathetic expression. Goku shrugged at Videl as she dropped her hands by her sides, then smiled thoughtfully.

"Well…Chi-Chi is right." Goku said arrogantly as she raised her head high. "I am really handsome as a man." Goku agreed with a proud smile as Chi-Chi chuckled in agreement. "And as a woman, I'm the most beautiful, too." Goku added as the women scoffed at that comment.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi and Videl scolded as Bulma growled and 18 glared angrily.

"How can you say that?!" Bulma shouted as she stood from her chair, shaking her fist angrily at Goku.

"It's true." Goku replied honestly with a simple shrug as Bulma huffed and plopped back into her seat with her arms crossed.

"But really, Goku." Videl interjected as Bulma continued fuming angrily. "You can't like yourself like that. Is there anyone you like?" Videl asked shyly as her curious question subdued the anger of the other women, who returned to their curious inquisition. Goku groaned. She almost thought she got away from that question.

"What about Vegeta?" Bulma asked hostilely with her arms still crossed, the only one still not over Goku's snub. Goku whimpered as she searched for an escape briefly before her eyes landed on her savior.

"Krillin!" Goku called in relief as she grabbed the frightened man by the shoulders forcefully. She was lucky to spot him passing through the kitchen to bring some prepared food to the yacht, and she was not going to let him get away without her. "Let me help you with that!" Goku said happily with a large smile as she took the package from Krillin's hands and happily pranced back out to the yacht. Krillin turned towards the women as he looked at his empty hands in shock. They were glaring at him with their hands on their hips as if he had done something wrong. Krillin gulped nervously as he backed away. No wonder Goku was in such a rush to get out of there. Women could be frightening.

* * *

Goku stretched lazily and yawned on the couch. It had been a fun, exhausting day on the yacht. It was so exhausting, in fact, that she fell quickly asleep after returning home.

"Dad." A little voice said from the floor as Goku rolled to the side and opened her eyes to look down at the hunched over little boy on the floor. Goku yawned again, covering her mouth politely before slowly smiling at Goten in acknowledgement. Goten was putting together a puzzle quietly. It seemed he had been there the whole time she was sleeping, as the puzzle was almost complete. "Can you help me find where this piece is?" He asked with a note of frustration as he pointed to the blank space in the puzzle. Goku smiled as she lazily slid off the couch to join her son on the floor.

"Sure, Goten." She said as she gazed at the puzzle pieces, squinting and frowning thoughtfully as she eyed the incomplete image of a dragon. She wasn't the best at these things, but she knew she could do it. Her eyes lit on a piece that matched the coloring of the empty space, and she quickly handed it to Goten. "Try that one." She said encouragingly. Goten stuck his tongue to the side determinedly as he placed the piece in the wrong direction, and growled as he turned it another way. Goku laughed lightly in amusement at Goten's seriousness over the puzzle. When he put the piece in correctly, Goten pumped his fists in the air victoriously.

"Yes! Almost done!" Goten exclaimed before hurriedly returning to his serious expression and resuming the puzzle. Goku patted Goten on the back encouragingly as she glanced around the room.

"Where's everybody?" Goku asked, stifling another yawn as she struggled to wake from the deep sleep she had been in.

"Gohan went to a movie or something with Videl." Goten said with his back to Goku, quickly turning with a mischievous smile after mentioning Gohan's whereabouts. "You know what they do when no one's looking?" He snickered as he glanced warily for Chi-Chi's presence. Goku smirked knowingly at her son.

"What?"

"Kissy kissy!" Goten laughed loudly, falling backwards and kicking his feet as Goku quietly laughed, before her laughs grew louder with Goten's contagious laughter.

"Well, maybe you better not tell your Mom about that." Goku said in a hushed voice with a smile. "I'm not sure if she's ready to hear about something like that yet." Goku added with another small laugh. Goten's face suddenly became thoughtful as he looked up at Goku.

"Why do people do that, anyways? Isn't is gross?" Goten asked, distorting his face in a distasteful expression as Goku laughed lightly at the question.

"No. It's not gross." Her expression became wistful for a moment as she thought of her last kiss with Vegeta. Definitely not gross. Goku placed her hand on Goten's head as she stood from the floor. She turned to see Chi-Chi entering the room with a basket full of laundry.

"Goku! You're awake. Perfect timing. I was just about to make dinner. Are you h-" Chi-Chi stopped herself and rolled her eyes. "Nevermind." She smiled knowingly as Goku approached her and took the laundry basket from Chi-Chi's hands.

"Here. I'll take this outside." Goku offered as Chi-Chi smiled thankfully at her.

"Thank you, Goku." Chi-Chi said endearingly as she blushed lightly at the kind gesture.

"Yeah. Now you can get right to work on dinner. I'm starving!" Goku said with a huge smile as she marched outside with the basket and Chi-Chi fell over comically in disbelief, twitching irritably for a moment before she recovered and set to work in the kitchen.

* * *

Hours later, the family was preparing for bed for the night. After their usual hearty meal, the family had spent some time conversing for a while before bathing and relaxing from their long, exciting day with their friends. Gohan had returned home and discussed his date with Videl, blushing and stuttering in discomfort as his family prodded him for details.

Goku wished her sons a goodnight as Chi-Chi kissed them, and the two set off to bed, giving each other a light kiss goodnight. Goku immediately fell asleep, and woke to a startling sensation in the middle of the night. She sat up in bed, alarmed by what had triggered her to wake at this hour.

"_Kakarot…"_ Goku's eyes widened in alarm at the sound of Vegeta's weakened, gasping voice as she subtly heard it calling to her in her head. Her eyes contorted in confusion. Maybe she was just dreaming. She began to lie back down slowly as she froze upon hearing his voice again, groaning as if he'd been beaten somehow. She immediately focused on Vegeta's ki, and gasped when she couldn't find it. She stood from the bed anxiously as she tried focusing harder, and realized his ki was there, just much, much lower than it should be. Without a second thought, Goku instantaneously moved to the ki she was focusing on, nightgown and drowsiness aside.

Now standing outside in the grass, she caught the fleeting image of something disappearing into the trees in the distance, before seeing a weakened and drained Vegeta lying on the ground, gazing at her with a hazy look in his eyes.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta called, somewhat angrily as he lay on the ground, weakened and drained.

"Vegeta!" Goku called in alarm as she immediately kneeled by his side. "What happened? Are you okay?" Vegeta growled irritably.

"Yes! I'm perfectly fine!" He exclaimed sarcastically and abruptly as he struggled to get up. Goku placed her hands beneath Vegeta's head, attempting to either help him up or ease him to the ground, though she wasn't sure which he was more capable of at the moment.

"Vegeta, why is your ki so low?" Goku asked demandingly with a serious stare. Vegeta sighed wearily from his efforts as his eyes met Goku's.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came out here to train." Vegeta explained slowly as Goku nodded patiently, completely attentive to him. "This _thing_ just appeared out of nowhere." Vegeta sneered hatefully as he gestured towards the trees where Goku thought she saw something earlier. "It didn't have any real power, even though it was trying to attack me. So I toyed with it for a while." Goku frowned reprimandingly at this, and Vegeta glared at her for the look. Like she wouldn't do the same. "I was just about to destroy it when it lit up and my energy was suddenly gone." Vegeta inhaled deeply and frowned as Goku looked alarmed at the news.

"Something that can drain your ki?" Goku asked thoughtfully as she continued supporting Vegeta's neck and turned her head towards the forest. "I should go after it."

"Don't bother, Kakarot." Vegeta retorted as he sat himself up with a groan. "It should be long gone by now. And the thing is a machine or something. You can't sense it." Goku glanced doubtfully towards the forest, considering going after it anyways. "Just get me back inside, so I can sleep this off and recover." Vegeta said forcefully, diverting Goku's attention from his attacker.

"Okay." Goku answered reluctantly as looked from the forest to Vegeta, absorbing his weakened state. She knew if he was requesting her help, he had to be in bad shape. Vegeta would never want her helping him if it wasn't absolutely necessary.


	22. My Turn!

Vegeta was uninjured, perfectly fine aside from the nearly total drain of his energy. He was wearing nothing but a pair of black spandex shorts; it was evident that he had been dressed for sleep before he came out to train. His body was lightly glistened with sweat and a few blades of grass clung to him from laying in it. Goku gingerly removed a blade from Vegeta's arm, taking in the contours of Vegeta's muscles as he moved and she lightly skimmed her hand up along his bicep and shoulder in curious fascination. She turned her attention to Vegeta's face, noting him smirking at her as he had been watching her. Goku blushed as she cleared her throat and scooped Vegeta into her arms. She flew towards Vegeta's bedroom window.

"Stop." Vegeta ordered with a deep frown.

"What?" Goku asked curiously as she hovered a few feet from the balcony.

"Do you want to wake Bulma?" Vegeta asked rhetorically as Goku immediately frowned at the thought. "Just bring me to the guest room."

"Which guest room?" Goku asked as she glanced across the span of windows from which she could choose.

"Any guest room!" Vegeta yelled at her quietly as he grit his teeth in annoyance. Goku rolled her eyes at Vegeta's temperamental reaction as she picked a room and reached for the window, finding it was locked.

"Are there any rooms that aren't locked besides yours, Vegeta?" Goku asked, raising an eyebrow at him as Vegeta scoffed. Vegeta pointed to the window next to them.

"Try that one." He ordered as Goku flew over and opened it, finding this one unlocked. She placed Vegeta inside, who slumped to the ground, holding onto the window frame for support. Goku flew in and stood near the bed, waiting for Vegeta, who clutched the window frame for a moment before he glared at Goku. "Well don't just stand there!" He hissed as Goku jumped at the unexpected address.

"Alright, alright." Goku said lightly as she approached Vegeta and wrapped her arms around him while he shifted his weight to allow her to support him. "No need to get angry." She added with a smile as they reached the bed and Vegeta fell back into it with relief. Goku grabbed Vegeta's legs and swung them onto the bed as Vegeta slid himself back towards the headboard. The combined motions threw Goku off-balance and she fell lightly onto the bed next to Vegeta, who smirked at her closeness.

"Mmmm. Kakarot, why don't you stay for a while?" Vegeta suggested as he met her eyes, his face only inches from hers. Goku inhaled sharply at the invitation.

"I don't know, Vegeta. I don't think I sho-" Goku's words were stopped as Vegeta planted his lips against hers, silencing her objection. Goku sighed into the kiss as Vegeta placed his hand gingerly along her jawline, pulling her chin in closer to deepen their kiss. Vegeta moaned as their tongues played against each other, and Goku wrapped her arm around Vegeta, pulling herself closer to him as her fingers explored the muscles along his back. Vegeta's hand slid from her chin, skimming along the contours of Goku's body, feeling every curve as Goku writhed into his touch.

Goku deepened their kiss as she placed both hands around Vegeta's face, drawing him in closer as she panted excitedly from the sensations that had her body yearning for more. Vegeta slid his hand over Goku's hip, wrapping it around to caress her perfectly curved butt and smiling into their kiss in blissful satisfaction. Goku instinctively ground her hips forward, and gasped sharply as the feel of Vegeta's hardness rubbing between her legs shocked her back to reality. Goku quickly jumped away from the bed, and Vegeta frowned, knowing exactly why she was reacting that way.

"Kakarot, you have nothing to worry about." Vegeta reassured her coolly. "I'm too drained to come after you, and I couldn't try anything right now if I wanted to." Vegeta insisted as he weakly extended his hand in invitation for her to join him again. Goku pursed her lips thoughtfully as she slowly approached the bed again, then hesitated.

"Vegeta, do you think that thing might come back here tonight?" Goku asked thoughtfully as she gazed out the window.

"No." Vegeta huffed as he let his head fall back in disappointment at Goku's irritating distractedness. "It seems it got what it was coming for. I'm sure it's gone." Vegeta answered quickly and dismissively. Goku stepped forward, placing one knee on the bed with her sight still set towards the window.

"How can you be so sure?" Goku asked, almost hopefully as Vegeta growled in irritation.

"Wil you just get over here?!" He hissed at Goku as he gestured for her to come forward.

"Okay, Vegeta." Goku answered doubtfully with her eyes still on the window as she climbed on the bed and lay next to Vegeta. The sensation of him grabbing her caught her attention as she turned to Vegeta with a surprised smile. "It seems your strength is coming back a little."

"Of course it is. Kiss me…Kakarot." Vegeta said lazily as he met her eyes. Goku willingly obliged with a chaste kiss before smiling knowingly at Vegeta.

"Goodnight, Vegeta."

"Good...night?" Vegeta grumbled hoarsely as his eyes grew heavy and he shook off the sluggish feeling. Goku chuckled quietly at the display.

"Yes, goodnight. Your energy is gone. You need to rest." Goku commanded with a smile as she rested her head on the pillow next to his.

"No...I need..." Vegeta trailed off, his eyelids closing with a heavy sigh, before they shot open again. "I need..." He began again, his eyes darting around the room in his disoriented state. Goku smiled.

"Just stop fighting it and go to sleep, Vegeta." Vegeta closed his eyes and stubbornly shook his head as Goku frowned at him. "Stop being so stubborn. You need your rest. There's nothing wrong with sleeping." Goku chastised half-heartedly with a yawn. Vegeta stirred after a moment, and Goku thought he would continue fighting sleep, but he settled again, and his breathing became relaxed and shallow. Goku yawned again. Observing Vegeta's relaxed state made her even more tired than she already was. She shifted in the bed, her position becoming more comfortable as she mumbled to herself.

"I should get going now." She yawned again as her eyes began to close. She slowly raised her hand off the bed near her waist towards her head, dropping it on the bed near her chest with a flop as the appendage seemed too heavy to hold. "Maybe...in five...five more minutes." She said with a content sigh as she grew incredibly comfortable in the bed, immediately drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Vegeta's eyes fluttered open as he blinked and absorbed his surroundings, realizing he was in one of the guest rooms at Capsule Corporation. His expression became perplexed as he attempted to remember how he got there, then alarmed as the memories came flooding back to him while he felt an arm wrap securely around his waist. Vegeta looked over his shoulder and grumbled to himself at the sight of Goku sleeping deeply next to him, drool hanging from the corner of her mouth as her grip around his waist tightened. Vegeta attempted to free himself by prying Goku's arm off of him, but she maintained her solid grasp.

"Kakarot! Wake up!" Vegeta hissed at her as he struggled to free himself again. Vegeta frowned deeply, his eyes widening in alarm as he heard footsteps and voices passing through the hall outside the bedroom. Was everyone awake in the house already? "Kakarot!" He repeated angrily as he shook furiously and Goku only muttered incoherently in her sleep, amazingly continuing to sleep through everything. Vegeta growled with irritation as he balled his fist tightly and pulled his elbow back, jamming it into Goku's ribs. Now she was awake and angry.

"Vegeta! Whmmph-" Goku exclaimed as Vegeta immediately slapped his hand over her mouth and her eyes shot open. She released her grasp on Vegeta to cradle her injured ribs as Vegeta's grip on her mouth remained tight to keep her from yelling another syllable.

"Shut up!" Vegeta hissed as he glanced meaningfully over his shoulder, towards the bedroom door. "What do you think you're doing, spending the night here?" Vegeta growled accusingly at Goku's carelessness. If anyone had walked in to see them like that...Goku's eyes widened in alarm as she realized the predicament they were in as well, and Vegeta released his hand from her mouth as they both stood from the bed. Goku rubbed her ribs as she pouted at Vegeta.

"You're the one who didn't want me to leave. And then I just fell asleep." Goku explained with a slight whine as Vegeta glared at her while quickly heading to the dresser, finding more clothing to wear before anyone found him shirtless, alone, with Goku in her nightgown.

"Idiot. I didn't ask you to sleep here. How are you going to explain what you're doing here?" Vegeta threw a garment at Goku, which she caught and inspected as Vegeta grabbed something for himself and slipped the plain white shirt over his head. Goku shrugged and pulled the dress over her head, fitting oddly over her nightgown, but it would have to work for now. Vegeta then turned to Goku again with an idea. "Can't you just instantaneously move back to your place?"

"No, Vegeta." Goku argued, sounding disappointed in him as she stood from the bed. "They're all probably awake over there and already noticed I'm missing. Besides, I _should_ be here. Have you already forgotten what happened last night? We need to let everyone know about the thing that attacked you before it goes after someone else." Goku explained as Vegeta grimaced at the suggestion.

"Kakarot, I really think we should just keep that between-" Vegeta was interrupted as the bedroom door opened, and Mrs. Briefs walked in with a squeal of satisfaction.

"I found him, sweetie! He's right here with the _girl_ Goku." She said with a bright smile as she swung the door wide open and Bulma came walking from behind her.

"Hi, Mrs. Briefs! Hi Bulma!" Goku said with a wave and smile as Vegeta groaned at the angry expression on Bulma's face, which quickly contorted into one of confusion.

"What are you doing in _here_? With Goku?" Bulma asked Vegeta. Vegeta opened his mouth to answer and Bulma immediately started shouting before he had the chance to speak. "Do you know I've been looking for you?! You don't just disappear from bed in the middle of the night! Someone could have come to kill you for all I know!" Bulma yelled loudly as everyone else stared back at her.

"But _that's_ why I'm here, Bulma." Goku said with an assuring tone as she stepped forward. Bulma's brows contorted in confusion again as she looked at Goku.

"What?" She asked disbelievingly as she shook her head.

"Vegeta was attacked last night. That's why I came here." Goku explained in all seriousness. Bulma's previously angry expression immediately became worried as she looked at Vegeta. "Something drained his ki and disappeared. We need to warn everyone in case it comes after them." Goku said as Dr. Briefs stepped into the doorway to see what all the commotion was about.

"In case what comes after them?" Dr. Briefs asked curiously. Everyone looked to Goku, and Goku looked to Vegeta while everyone followed her gaze.

"Did you get a good look at it, Vegeta? I didn't really see what it was." Goku asked as Vegeta frowned while everyone stared at him expectantly.

"I…didn't see it too well, either. It was dark." Vegeta lied as Dr. Briefs raised an eyebrow at him. Vegeta glared at Dr. Briefs warningly.

"Something drains Vegeta's ki and you two just let it get away?!" Bulma suddenly yelled as she glared at the two Saiyans. "And what? Then you went to sleep for the night?" She asked in disbelief as she placed her hands on her hips. Goku shrugged and looked at Vegeta, who clamped his mouth shut tightly as he glared at his wife.

"Well, yeah." Goku answered honestly. "Vegeta's ki was completely drained, Bulma. The only thing he could do was rest to restore it." Goku explained as she crossed her arms and looked at Bulma with an open expression. "And I stayed to keep an eye on him and make sure he slept." Goku smirked at Vegeta, then Bulma. "You know how stubborn he can be." Vegeta scoffed resentfully at the remark and Bulma's posture softened as she scrutinized Vegeta for a minute.

"Hm." Bulma relented, shrugging as she returned her attention to the more important matter at hand. "So, Goku, can you get everyone over here right away?" Bulma asked as she turned her attention to Goku, who seemed surprised to be addressed so quickly.

"Y-yeah." Goku said, placing her fingers to her forehead and focusing on her family first as she disappeared.

"Mom, maybe you should make sure we have plenty of food." Bulma suggested as she turned to her mother, and Goku and the entire Son family instantly appeared next to them, only slightly startling the group who were already there. Goku quickly disappeared again without another word, and Chi-Chi, Gohan and Goten muttered greetings and good mornings to everyone. "You see?" Bulma added to her mother, leaning to her right to see past the newly arrived bodies that came between them. "There are still more coming. And I'm guessing most of us haven't had breakfast yet."

"Okay, honey!" Mrs. Briefs called with a wave of her hand over the group as she turned to leave the room. Goku appeared again with the inhabitants from Kame House, before quickly disappearing as the confused and startled group looked around at the others.

"Uh…what are we doing here?" Krillin asked as he scratched his head.

"You mean Goku didn't tell you?" Bulma asked with irritation.

"No." Gohan answered, stepping forward with a laugh. "She just came and told us to hold on, and then we were here." Goku appeared again with Piccolo who huffed with annoyance and crossed his arms as Goku immediately disappeared again.

"I guess that's about all of us." Bulma commented as she looked around at the confused group and Vegeta held his head, grumbling to himself with frustration. Goku appeared again with Tien and Chiaotzu, this time lingering for a moment as she looked around the group thoughtfully.

"Am I missing anyone?" Goku asked as she tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. Vegeta stepped forward, slapping down Goku's hand as she had already thought of someone else and was preparing to instant transmission again.

"That's enough!" Vegeta yelled at her. "Why not bring the entire population of the planet here?" He added sarcastically as he scoffed at the circus that had been made of this whole event.

"But what about Yamcha?" Goku asked as she reluctantly placed her hands by her sides under Vegeta's glare.

"What about him? Do you think this thing would really bother to go after that lazy weakling?" Vegeta retorted as he walked towards the living room, escaping the crowd that had formed in the small bedroom. Unfortunately for Vegeta, the rest of the group followed his lead, joining him and making themselves comfortable around the living room as Vegeta groaned and chose to stand near the wall, rather than sitting with the others.

"So, Goku." Master Roshi began in a serious tone after everyone was seated. "Why have you brought us all here?"

"Well…" Goku began as she stepped forward and her stomach grumbled loudly, which she held while blushing in embarrassment. Goku laughed as some of the others rolled their eyes at her. "Can I tell you after breakfast?" Goku asked with a sheepish smile. Mrs. Briefs conveniently waltzed into the room at that moment, carrying a tray of food, which Goku quickly claimed for herself. The robots around Capsule Corporation immediately followed her, carrying plenty more for everyone.

* * *

After a long period of eating, the lighter eaters in the group were losing their patience with waiting for an explanation. 18 stood over Goku as she, Vegeta, and their half-Saiyan sons were the only ones still eating.

"You know, I had an appointment with my hairdresser this morning, which I am missing, thanks to you." She said coldly as she crossed her arms and glowered. When Goku nodded understandingly but continued eating, 18 approached her in an intimidating manner. "So tell us why we're here already, or I'm leaving."

"Not a bad idea." Piccolo chimed in grumpily as he frowned where he stood near the wall, waiting for the long breakfast to end. He began heading towards the door, and Vegeta scoffed as Piccolo passed him.

"Maybe you should all get out of here." Vegeta agreed resentfully as Goku swallowed her food and stood promptly at his remark.

"Hey! You guys need to hear this before you go anywhere." Goku said as she attempted to relay the recent event. Some others were beginning to stand, Krillin trailing after 18 while Gohan was attempting to stop Piccolo from leaving, and Oolong was sneaking away in a cowardly manner, fearful of whatever bad thing might be coming for Goku this time.

"What is it, Goku?" Tien announced, standing with Chiaotzu by his side as he attentively stared at Goku for an explanation. Goku turned very serious as everyone waited for her to speak. Vegeta growled angrily as everyone stayed and focused their full attention on Goku.

"Enough with the drama, Kakarot! Stop dragging this out!" Vegeta exclaimed as he stepped forward, waving his arm in a wide gesture as everyone turned their attention to him. "It's a damned machine!" Vegeta exclaimed contemptuously as he crossed his arms. "Hardly worth getting everyone worked up over it." He muttered quietly as he subdued himself and turned away from everyone.

"A machine?" Bulma asked in wide-eyed confusion. "A machine!? I can fix that!" She said confidently with a determined expression. "Just show me the thing, and I've got it covered!" She added as she pounded a fist into her open palm. She turned to Goku, shaking her head in disbelief. "Honestly, Goku. You were that worried about a machine?" The group frowned dubiously at Goku, whose jaw dropped in disbelief at the turn of events.

"But-but this machine drains your ki without even touching you!" Goku objected as she placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head at her friends' unconvinced expressions. "It completely drained Vegeta's ki last night." She added as she pointed to Vegeta, who fumed and slightly blushed as everyone stared at him in open-mouthed shock.

"Vegeta?!" Krillin yelped as he looked at Goku now with a very fearful expression. "You're telling us there's a machine out there powerful enough to completely drain Vegeta's ki?" Vegeta nodded with a scowl on his face while Goku nodded in relief at everyone's sudden understanding.

"I wonder who sent it. Maybe it's remnants of the Red Ribbon Army emerging again?" Bulma mused thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin in her hand. Her expression became determined as she looked at the entire group. "Hey! A machine is still a machine. If I can get my hands on it, I can deactivate it."

"Yeah, but how are you going to do that?" Krillin challenged Bulma doubtfully. "If it can drain all of Vegeta's ki, that thing would kill you before you got anywhere near it."

"Oh yeah?" Bulma asked crossly as she placed her hands on her hips and glared at Krillin. "It would kill you, too Krillin!" Oolong snickered while Krillin swatted him in annoyance, knocking the pig clumsily off the couch.

"If Vegeta was nearly drained," Master Roshi said thoughtfully as he stroked his beard, "I'd say the only people who can safely get near the thing are Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, 18 and maybe Trunks and Goten."

"Oh no!" Chi-Chi objected, standing on the couch to threateningly tower over a now-cowering Master Roshi. "My Goten is not going near any dangerous robots!" Bulma nodded adamantly in agreement.

"Not Trunks, either!" Goten and Trunks pouted at their mothers.

"Aww, Mom!" Goten whined.

"We're not babies." Trunks muttered with a scowl as he crossed his arms and turned away from his mother.

"And I'm not interested." 18 said in a level tone.

"Aw, come on, 18." Krillin said encouragingly, to which 18 quickly glared at Krillin.

"There's no money in it, Krillin. What's the point?" She retorted. Krillin frowned back at 18, but dutifully nodded in agreement.

"Okay, the three of us will take turns looking for the machine." Goku said excitedly as she looked at Gohan and Vegeta. "One of us should be able to take it down alone easily. My turn first!"

"Hold it, Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled before Goku had the chance to run off. "First of all, I don't think this thing is worthy of our time. There's no need to hunt it down." Vegeta objected.

"Aww, but Vegeta…" Goku whined in disappointment. Vegeta rolled his eyes. That thing was turning out to be more of a burden than he anticipated. "I _want_ to hunt it down."

"Fine, we'll hunt the stupid machine. But you don't get to go first." Goku frowned for a moment, then smiled as she turned to Gohan.

"Then Gohan can go first, since you already had your turn last night." Goku said with a toothy smile at her son as Gohan immediately cheered with excitement and ran off before anyone could stop him.

"Last night?!" Vegeta objected in outrage. "That was not a turn!"

"Yes it was. You said you toyed with it and then it drained your ki. That's a turn." Goku argued with a smug smile as Vegeta fumed. Fine. Let it count as his turn. That meant _her_ turn was next. And that's what Vegeta was waiting for anyways.


	23. Interesting Night

A/N: This chapter contains a lemon (sex). That's why this fic is rated M. If you don't want to read the lemon, it's denoted with **!** at the beginning and end of the lemon, so you can skip right over it if you want without missing any plot.

* * *

Gohan sat in the grass with his elbow resting on a bent knee, his chin in his hand as his eyes shifted side to side, surveying the forest outside of Capsule Corporation. He thought searching for this machine, robot, whatever it was would be fun. He forgot about the part where you had to _find_ it first before this task would become even mildly interesting.

Gohan sighed heavily in boredom before looking enviously towards the Capsule Corporation building, where he knew his friends and family inside were enjoying each other's company. Probably eating or laughing or teasing one another. And what was he doing? Sitting on his ass and looking at trees.

He had been at this on and off all day, and now the sun was setting. Gohan smiled exuberantly when he caught some movement from his peripheral vision and turned to face it in hopes of finally finding this ki draining machine. He frowned in disappointment when he recognized the feminine silhouette of his father approaching with a brief wave.

"Hi, Gohan!" Goku called as she walked up to him, taking a seat by his side and Gohan waved in return. "See anything yet?" Gohan frowned as he dropped his head between both knees disappointedly.

"No." He answered with a shake of his head. He turned to face his father, who was watching him eagerly. "Dad, this is so boring! Are you sure there's something out here?" Gohan exclaimed exasperatedly, making Goku frown at the surprising change in tone.

"Yeah. I saw it myself." Goku said confidently as she looked into the forest. She frowned for a minute and shrugged. "Well, sort of saw it. I don't really know what it looks like." She added with a laugh. Gohan huffed and shook his head as he wrapped his arms tightly around his knees and continued gazing into the inactive forest. "Dinner's ready. Mrs. Briefs and your mom made some really good stuff. Why don't you go have a bite?" Goku suggested, a little too eagerly. Gohan narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"You want to take over already, don't you?" Gohan asked accusingly. Goku smiled guiltily as Gohan chuckled in acknowledgement. He wasn't going to fight it at this point. It was actually a relief to be relieved from hunting duty. "Okay, Dad. It's all yours." Gohan yielded as he stood and Goku grinned widely and clenched her fists with a hiss of excitement. "Be careful what you wish for. Your shift might turn out to be as boring as mine." Gohan warned as he began walking towards Capsule Corporation. Goku shook her head in disagreement, gazing into the forest attentively.

"I don't think so. I have a feeling tonight is going to be very interesting." She said as she adjusted to sit cross-legged and rested with her elbows on her knees and her cheeks on her hands, smiling widely into the darkening evening.

* * *

Hours later, Goku was sitting in a meditative state with her eyes closed as she calmly focused her inner self, yet maintained enough awareness of her surroundings to recognize any approaching presence. It was late. Most likely everyone was asleep by now. Goku had napped when Gohan was out here during the day to save her strength for this shift, anticipating a long night, yet she still meditated to retain as much energy as possible while waiting for the mechanical menace to make its appearance.

The single crunch of a snapping twig alerted Goku as her eyes shot open and she keenly focused her vision towards the sound. A few rustles of leaves and flashes of furry movements later, Goku's tensed state eased as she lightly smiled at the scurrying family of raccoons at the source of the noises. Maybe Gohan and Vegeta were right. Maybe there really was nothing out here worth chasing. But if that was true, then just what did she see attacking Vegeta last night? Goku frowned thoughtfully as she prepared to return to meditating, when she thought she spotted something passing between the trees in the distance. Goku listened carefully and kept her eyes planted on the area, and prepared to crouch behind some bushes as she realized something large was coming towards her.

Goku's eyes widened as the large, metallic figure emerged from the trees. It reminded Goku of the ones Pilaf and his crew used to try and fight him when he was a kid. Goku frowned at that thought. She had a plan of attack, knowing this thing could drain ki without any physical contact. She was going to sneak up on it and destroy it with one blast before it had a chance to drain her. But now…what if there was a person piloting the machine, like Pilaf used to do? She couldn't just blast the machine. Any normal person inside it would be killed.

The machine marched through the forest, surprisingly stealthily for a large, mechanical item. It was clearly well-designed. There was no humming engine noise accompanying the machine, no metallic thuds as its moving feet touched the ground. Only the cracking of twigs and shuffling of leaves, and the occasional crunch of broken tree branches as it passed. It was no wonder that it would be able to sneak up on Vegeta the other night. It did not give off an imposing sense in any way. Goku peered behind a bush, even closer to and now behind the machine as she had snuck around that way. But she couldn't get a good view of the inside. She still didn't know if there was a human in there. Goku pursed her lips thoughtfully, then sent a small beam of ki at the machine's back. That hit should be enough to disorient any person inside it, hopefully causing them to abandon the machine.

Goku watched as electrical charges sparked off of the small hole she had created in the machine with that blast. Smoke rose from it, and it nearly toppled over at the force before righting itself. There was no cry of surprise that Goku could hear, and she saw no signs of movement besides the machine itself, which was turning around to face her. Now was the time to strike. She had to blast it before it lit up and drained her like it did to Vegeta the other night. But she still wasn't sure that it was unmanned. Goku hesitated, clenching her teeth with frustration as she hurriedly debated whether to risk herself or risk possibly killing someone else. She slowly extended her hand with a reluctant frown as she turned her face away, unable to bear the thought of seeing an injured person in the aftermath of her blast.

Goku gathered her ki in her hand and gasped when it suddenly dissipated. She looked at her hand with a deeply perplexed frown as she fell to the ground, then looked at the machine to see it fully lit, though still short-circuiting from her earlier blast.

"No!" Goku cried as she eyed the approaching machine. It was now close enough to see clearly that it was only an unmanned machine. Goku cursed herself for not shooting at it sooner. She grit her teeth as she glared obstinately at the robotic figure closing in on her, and gasped in shock when it suddenly exploded. Goku attempted to shield herself from the flying debris from the blast, though her movements were limited with the recent drain she had experienced. She was lightly grazed with a few shards of metal, and surprised by how much pain that little impact caused. She turned her face towards the falling machine, and as it dropped to the ground, her mouth dropped in shock. A few feet behind it Vegeta hovered in the air with his hand extended, now slowly dropping it to his side as he looked down on the machine with a victorious smirk.

"Vegeta!" Goku called in relief as Vegeta descended and slowly walked towards Goku, spitefully kicking the broken machine as he passed it. "How…why are you…?" Goku asked, completely baffled as Vegeta stood over her, crossing his arms with a satisfied smirk.

"I waited to feel your ki drop, Kakarot. Then I knew it would be the right time to strike." Vegeta explained as Goku gawked at him in confusion. "I knew you couldn't figure out how to take down the machine yourself." He explained. "If I couldn't get around it alone, why would you be able to?" Vegeta challenged as Goku frowned grudgingly at him.

"I almost did." Goku complained bitterly. "I thought there might be someone inside it, Vegeta. How did you know there wasn't anyone in there?" Goku asked curiously.

"I didn't." Vegeta lied with an indifferent shrug.

"Vegeta!" Goku reprimanded as Vegeta kneeled by her side. "You can't just risk an innocent life like that."

"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do, Kakarot." Vegeta said seriously. His expression quickly turned into a mischievous smirk as he added, "You're in no position to forbid me from doing anything right now." Vegeta scooped Goku into his arms as Goku looked at him curiously after that remark. He hovered into the air, carrying Goku to the same guest bedroom they had retreated to the previous night. He laid her on the bed, and Goku sighed with exhaustion.

"I can't believe that thing was capable of draining so much energy. I feel so wiped!" Goku exclaimed as she dropped her head heavily into the pillow behind her. Vegeta climbed on the bed beside Goku, stroking her hair back from her face.

"I know." He agreed knowingly. "But it's gone now." He said as he leaned in for a kiss, which Goku readily reciprocated. He pulled away, and Goku looked into his eyes with a sincere expression.

"Thanks for watching my back, Vegeta." Goku said with a smile as Vegeta smiled smugly back at her.

"Don't mention it." Vegeta answered as he went in for another kiss, this time deepening it as he wasted no time reaching for Goku's breasts, fondling her while she moaned beneath him. Goku placed both hands lightly on Vegeta's chest, feeling his muscles flex as he moved. Vegeta slipped one hand over Goku's waist, wrapping it around and pulling her closely to him by the rear as he deepened their kiss, nibbling on her lip and sucking on her tongue as Goku's eyes rolled back, half-lidded in ecstasy with Vegeta's aggressive treatment.

Vegeta's hand slipped around to Goku's waist again as the other continued fondling her breast, and his lower hand slipped inside Goku's waistband. Goku's eyes shot open in alarm as she attempted to pull back, lowering her hands to Vegeta's lower hand to pull him away. She may as well have been pushing him with a feather, with the current difference in their strength after that earlier attack. Vegeta reluctantly released his lips from hers, knowing what Goku was trying to do.

"Vegeta!" Goku exclaimed harshly as Vegeta glared and shushed her in warning.

"Relax, Kakarot. I know what I'm doing." Vegeta coaxed as he lowered his hand further, rubbing his fingers between Goku's legs through her panties, causing her to bite back a moan that she didn't want to release at the enthralling feeling.

"V-Vegeta." Goku said, pulling her head back as Vegeta was already going in for another kiss. "I…you can't…" Goku moaned involuntarily as Vegeta found her clit and began fondling it, smiling in satisfaction at the effect he was having on her. Vegeta kissed her deeply again as he unfastened the button of her pants and Goku began to fearfully attempt to push Vegeta away from her, dreading what he was planning.

Vegeta finished unfastening Goku's pants and pulled away from their kiss with a deep chuckle. Goku eyed him worriedly as Vegeta sat on his knees and grabbed the waistband of her pants, slowly lowering them. Goku gasped and grabbed the waistband, trying to keep it up, but it easily slipped from her fingers as Vegeta's pull was much stronger. Vegeta chuckled again as he looked into Goku's fearful eyes.

"Do you know what this reminds me of, Kakarot?" He whispered as he finished removing Goku's pants from her legs and Goku whimpered in fear, attempting to inch away from him. "Our first fight. When I had you broken and tattered on the rocks. You couldn't get away from me. I had you." Vegeta smiled ominously as he reached for Goku's panties, and she opened her mouth to scream. Vegeta immediately slapped his hand over her mouth, glaring at her threateningly. "Now I have you again." He said with a penetrating gaze. "But this is different, much different. I'm not going to hurt you." Vegeta released his hold on Goku's mouth as he sat up and Goku studied him dubiously.

"You're…you're not?" She asked warily. Vegeta nodded.

"Now can you keep quiet, or do I need to gag you? Because I will." Vegeta threatened as Goku's eyes shot open in alarm again.

"What?! Why would you need to gag me? Keep quiet when you do what?!" Goku asked incredulously, her volume becoming louder as she futilely squirmed towards the headboard, away from Vegeta. Vegeta sighed heavily and climbed off the bed, returning with a scarf which he quickly placed around Goku's head as she struggled to stop him. After a long struggle where Goku put up a decent fight for someone in her condition, Vegeta managed to tie the scarf tightly behind Goku's head, holding her arms down as she tried to reach for it and pull it out of her mouth. Vegeta huffed in frustration at Goku's stubborn, unending efforts of reaching for the scarf.

"That's going to get annoying." He grumbled as he joined her hands together and held them high. Vegeta quickly prodded his finger into pressure points on each arm, instantly numbing Goku's arms with a victorious smirk as Goku glared disbelievingly at him while her useless hands fell by her sides. She grunted with exertion as she attempted to move her arms again while Vegeta returned to his efforts, sleekly removing her panties while she was distracted. Goku panted frantically as she realized what Vegeta had done, and he kneeled before her on the bed, spreading her legs apart.

"Nmmmgh! Bjfaaa!" Goku yelled frantically and angrily through the gag as she thrashed on the bed. Vegeta calmly stared at her, mildly entertained for a moment before becoming annoyed again. He reached a hand forward, sliding it smoothly along Goku's stomach as she stopped thrashing to watch him carefully. He seemed so calm, and he wasn't undressing at all. That seemed like a good sign to Goku.

"I told you I won't hurt you, Kakarot. Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy having so much power over you right now." Vegeta smirked as he crawled over Goku, kissing her teasingly on the cheek. He chuckled into her neck as he trailed kisses along it, traveling down her chest as he pulled the fabric of her shirt and bra aside to reveal a creamy breast, topped by a pink nipple. He rolled his tongue along her nipple, causing Goku to gasp and arch into him. Vegeta placed his lips around it, sucking it and working wonders with his tongue as Goku moaned in defeat. He released his mouth to look at her face, and Goku's expression of ecstasy quickly became heated as she noticed him looking at her and she glared back at him.

"Bjjdaa!" Goku mumbled through the gag in a scolding tone as she began sitting up weakly, her hands lifting slightly in a twitchy manner from the bed as they began regaining feeling. Vegeta placed his hand on her collarbone, easily pushing her back down.

"Don't go anywhere yet." Vegeta said tauntingly as he slid Goku's shirt above her stomach. "We're just getting started." Vegeta slid lower on the bed as he brought his lips to Goku's stomach, kissing along her ribcage towards her center as he dipped his tongue in her navel. Goku watched Vegeta carefully, her heart pounding in her chest with anticipation as she noticed, with a sigh of relief, the feeling in her hands returning. Vegeta's hands slid along Goku's inner thighs, guiding them apart again as she had been pushing them back together in her earlier struggles.

**!**

Goku shuddered at the unexpected touch in such a sensitive area as she had been concentrating on sneakily reaching her hands towards the gag to remove it without Vegeta noticing. Vegeta glanced up at Goku, who quickly dropped her hands as Vegeta lowered his face between her legs and Goku's eyes widened in realization. When she felt his hot breath touch her down there, Goku inhaled sharply. A wet, warm tongue slid between her folds, and Goku practically melted into the bed as she cried out.

"Bjjjjdaamm!" Goku clutched the sheets with both hands as she tried to close her legs, but Vegeta's hands remained on her thighs, easily keeping them apart as he hummed into her core, licking up her juices. He sucked on her clit, and Goku's breath shuddered as she arched her back, rolling her head back into the pillow. Did it always feel this good for women? How could this be happening to her? Goku panted nervously as she tried to fight that fluttery feeling, that tightening in her core that kept building tension like she was about to snap.

"Nmmfgg!" She mumbled as she bit into the gag, shoving her face into the pillow as she turned it to the side and Vegeta continued his relentless attack on her. Goku gasped again as she felt another unexpected sensation, one that instinctively made her want to open her legs wider. She looked at Vegeta, who had separated his mouth from her, but was now focusing his sight between her legs, where he looked like he was poking her with his finger. That was what that was?! Goku's eyes widened in alarm as Vegeta smirked cruelly at her, wiggling his finger inside her before pulling it out and adding a second with it.

Goku wanted to scream for him to stop. It just seemed so wrong! But it felt soooo good! She grit her teeth with frustration. Knowing that Vegeta was enjoying her torment just made her more resistant. But when his tongue returned to her clit, and those fingers kept prodding, Goku couldn't hold it back any longer. The flood gates opened and her entire body trembled as she released a muffled cry into the gag, having an incredible orgasm that drained the last of her energy. As she finished her cry and her body relaxed from the high, Goku's eyes closed and her head flopped to the side with a heavy sigh.

**!**

Vegeta chuckled in content as he licked his lips, savoring Goku's delicious taste as he reached for her head, untying the gag as she fell asleep. Vegeta watched Goku sleeping while he dressed her again. She was out cold. She didn't even stir at Vegeta's not-so-gentle handling of dressing her. After that ki drain, maybe the orgasm he gave her could have drained what was left of her. Vegeta raised a brow suspiciously and checked Goku's breathing with the back of his hand under her nose. He didn't want her dead, just defeated. Vegeta smiled satisfactorily as he crossed his arms and watched the result of his work.

He almost had second thoughts about going through with that plan. Did he really want to put his mouth all over _Kakarot_? But by that scent she was always giving off, he should have known. She tasted so much sweeter than anything he had ever tasted. He could do that all day. And after what he just gave her, he expected her to be begging him for more. It would only be a matter of time before she'd give in to him. Vegeta left the room quietly, taking the sash with him to join the dirty laundry as he headed to take a shower before returning to bed with Bulma.

Vegeta destroyed the 'enemy', dominated his rival, and tasted a Saiyan woman for the first time. It was the most interesting night he'd had in a long time.


	24. Did That Just Happen?

The bed sprung with the sound of joyous childish laughter as Goku's eyes shot open in alarm. Her head turned frantically side to side as she sat up and took in her surroundings in a panicked state.

"Dad!" The voice beside her yelled gleefully as Goku's widened eyes focused on the little boy jumping on the bed beside her.

"Goten!" Goku called in alarm as she looked down at her body, gasping fearfully, as last she remembered, she was inappropriately half-naked. She sighed heavily in relief, then balked in utter confusion as she took in her clothed state. How did she get dressed after that? Did she imagine the whole event?

"You've been sleeping so long. Mom said I could come and wake you up!" Goten said excitedly as he kept bouncing on the mattress.

"She did, huh?" Goku asked absently, feigning a smile as she rustled Goten's hair.

"I saw the machine outside! Or what's left of it!" Goten exclaimed as he bounced off the bed and ran to the window, pointing towards the forest where Goku remembered confronting the machine.

"Oh! It's pretty shredded, huh?" Goku asked as she slowly stood from the bed, scratching her back and stretching.

"Yeah!" Goten replied with a laugh as he looked out the window again, clearly impressed with his father for destroying the thing. Goku kept her eyes warily on Goten as she searched the bed and the floor surrounding it for that scarf she remembered Vegeta using. Goten seemed pretty interested in the rubble of the machine, as he balanced himself on his folded forearms and teetered his upper body over the windowsill, playfully kicking his feet which hung alongside the wall. Goku searched long enough to determine that the scarf was nowhere to be found. Was that just some crazy dream? Maybe she fell asleep immediately after Vegeta brought her to bed last night. Maybe it never even happened.

"Hey, Goten." Goku called, prompting the boy to glance over his shoulder. "Is Vegeta awake yet?" She asked carefully. Goten jumped down from the windowsill and turned to face his father.

"Yeah! Everyone's awake." Goten said as he ran up to Goku with his eyes widened as if he had something unbelievable to say. "Dad! You slept through breakfast! It's lunchtime already!"

"What?!" Goku shrieked, holding her head with both hands. "Is everyone already eating lunch downstairs?" Goku asked as she balled her fists and competitively glared towards the kitchen.

"No. Mom refused to serve anything until you get down there." Goten said, frowning in disappointment. "So let's hurry! We're all hungry, and it smells really good!" Goten added as he grabbed Goku's hand and attempted to pull her with him. Goku looked at their hands, relieved to find that Goten couldn't pull her. It was good to have her strength back. She hated that drained, helpless feeling. Goku walked along with Goten after a moment, the two of them reaching the kitchen to find those delicious smells Goten mentioned as well as a small group of drooling, impatiently hungry people.

"Goku!" A chorus of voices greeted as she appeared with her son, some sounding relieved now that they could eat, while others were just happy that she was finally joining them.

"Morning, everyone!" Goku said with a wide wave as she took a seat at the table beside Gohan and Goten took the empty one beside her.

"Not morning anymore, Goku." Chi-Chi said as she approached the table, placing a huge plate of food in front of Goku. "You slept half the day away!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as Goku nodded her thanks and began digging in while Chi-Chi wiped her hands on the apron she was wearing.

"Yeah, Goku. That must have been _some_ energy drain." Krillin interjected as he approached the kitchen counter and grabbed a plate of breakfast for himself. Goku took a huge bite of food before turning to address Krillin's remark.

"Myeah, oo cool shay dat." Goku said as everyone furrowed their eyebrows in confusion and Piccolo contorted his face with disgust.

"Goku, will you ever stop doing that?" Piccolo asked with an irritated grimace. Goku swallowed and rubbed her head sheepishly.

"Sorry." She said with a chuckle. "Yeah, I guess that machine really wiped me out. If it wasn't for Vegeta showing up, I might have been in trouble." Goku said as she searched the room for any signs of him. "Where is Vegeta, anyways?"

"I think he's outside training in the gravity room." Trunks answered from his seat at the table between his bites of the delicious meal.

"That's strange." Piccolo commented suspiciously as he crossed his arms and studied Goku. "Vegeta didn't mention anything about helping you." Goku jumped in surprise at Piccolo's claim.

"Really?" She asked disbelievingly as Piccolo and everyone else nodded in answer. "Hm. Maybe he's just being modest." Goku said nonchalantly as she resumed eating.

"Vegeta? Modest?" Chi-Chi scoffed as she served more food to the table and finally sat to eat her own meal. Krillin laughed.

"Yeah, really!" Krillin exclaimed as he crossed his arms. "The day Vegeta is modest will be the day _I_ become a Super Saiyan."

"And we all know _that_ will never happen!" Chi-Chi said mockingly with a smug smile as she took a bite of her meal. Everyone laughed as Krillin pouted and Gohan, who was sitting next to him, patted his back consolingly. As everyone finished their meals, the boys ran off to play in Trunks' room, scurrying around Bulma as she headed down the stairs to join everyone.

"Hi, Bulma!" Goku yelled with a big smile as everyone else looked towards the stairs, following Goku's gaze to see Bulma as well.

"Goku! You're finally up." Bulma commented as she pocketed a paper she had been reading on her way downstairs. She reached the group, standing near the table as she crossed her arms with a smile, directing her gaze at Goku. "So, how was the robot hunt last night?"

"It was…interesting." Goku answered hesitantly, until she noticed the interested stares that answer was received with. "I mean, it drained all my energy, so I was exhausted this morning! I even skipped breakfast!" She exclaimed with a loud laugh, which was interrupted by Piccolo's serious tone.

"And apparently after Goku was drained, Vegeta was the one who blasted the machine." Piccolo commented gruffly as Dr. and Mrs. Briefs walked into the kitchen, arm in arm.

"He did what?!" Dr. Briefs exclaimed, surprising the group by his outburst.

"He blasted it, Dr. Briefs." Goku said with a curious expression. "That was the plan, you know." She added as she leaned towards Dr. Briefs, slightly inclining her head towards him. Dr. Briefs' mouth gaped in disbelief as he released the grip on his wife's arm.

"Are you okay, Dad?" Bulma asked, tilting her head as she eyed her father with concern.

"Just…fine." He answered in a disappointed tone, looping his arm around Mrs. Briefs' again. Dr. Briefs frowned deeply as he spun around, heading back where they came from, muttering to himself. Everyone stared after the couple with confused expressions until Bulma spoke up.

"Well, I took and inspected the parts I could salvage from the wreckage, and surprisingly the machine was made with a lot of materials and technology that we use here." Bulma explained with interest.

"Really?" Goku asked suspiciously. "You don't think it was the Red Ribbon Army, then?"

"No." Bulma answered thoughtfully as she crossed her arms and shook her head in disagreement. "I know their style. This doesn't look like their work."

"Well, that's a relief." Krillin commented as he looped his arm over 18's shoulder, which she coldly shook off when it pulled her down in her seat. Krillin self-consciously withdrew his arm, placing his hands in his lap.

"Yeah." Gohan agreed, relieving Krillin from the unwanted eyes on him. "I wouldn't want to be up against another one of their crazy inventions." Gohan mused with a sigh, oblivious to the haughty glare he received from 18. Gohan's wristwatch beeped at that moment, and he jumped from his seat, switching his watch as he instantly transformed into his Great Saiyaman costume. "Looks like The Great Saiyaman has some crime to fight!" Gohan exclaimed heroically as he struck a series of ridiculous poses. Piccolo rolled his eyes at Gohan's antics.

"When are you going to grow out of this phase?" He asked his protégé in annoyance. Gohan frowned in confusion and looked at the others through the shield of his visor.

"What?" Gohan asked cluelessly. Krillin snickered as Goku smiled with amusement. "Dad, you said this was cool, right?" Gohan asked hopefully as he turned to Goku.

"Yeah..." Goku began slowly, "but at the time, I was dead and I was only going to be with you for one day. I didn't want to be the one to say anything." Goku said with an apologetic smile.

"You mean..." Gohan trailed off as his shoulders drooped and he frowned at the others.

"It looks pretty silly, Gohan." Goku admitted with a snicker as Krillin immediately joined in, and even Piccolo began chuckling. Gohan frowned as he looked at his outfit again. Bulma stepped forward, placing an arm over Gohan's shoulder.

"Hey, kid. I still think it's cool." Bulma said supportively.

"Thanks, Bulma." Gohan mumbled as Goku, Krillin, and Piccolo could no longer contain themselves and burst into a fit of laughter. Until they were all whacked in the heads down the line by a frying pan which practically flew across the table.

"Ow!" They screamed in unison as they held their heads.

"What's wrong with all of you?!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as she clutched the frying pan and glared at the three injured people.

"Sorry, Chi-Chi." Goku said with a deep frown as she winced in pain. Piccolo and Krillin mumbled their sorries as Chi-Chi closed in on Goku.

"Goku! You should know better than to laugh at your son." Chi-Chi reprimanded her as she crossed her arms and glared sternly at Goku.

"Chi-Chi." Goku said with a calm smile. "I wasn't laughing at Gohan. I would never laugh at Gohan." She explained as Gohan smiled thankfully. "I was laughing at the Great Saiyaman." Chi-Chi huffed in annoyance as she returned to her place at the sink, where she was already washing dishes before the need to use the frying pan arose.

"Gohan. Didn't you have some criminals to chase?" Krillin prompted as Gohan stood dumbfounded in the kitchen for a minute.

"Oh! Yeah! Bye, guys!" Gohan exclaimed as he ran out of the room in a hurry.

"Some super hero." 18 muttered sarcastically. "Can't even get to the scene of the crime on time."

"18…" Chi-Chi growled warningly as she turned from the sink and dried her hands, glaring at 18. 18 looked back at Chi-Chi, raising an eyebrow in amusement at Chi-Chi's threatening tone. Chi-Chi turned her attention to Goku as she stepped towards the table again. "Goku, are you ready to go home?" Chi-Chi asked as she placed one hand on her hip and the other on the table, leaning into it as she looked to Goku for an agreement.

"Hm? Oh. Sure." Goku agreed as she stood from the table. She glanced momentarily towards the gravity chamber outside, but quickly shook that thought. She didn't want to see Vegeta right now. She still was so confused about what really happened. "Uh…I'll get Goten." She said as she turned to Chi-Chi with a small smile and quickly headed up the stairs.

* * *

The rest of the day passed quietly. It was evening, just after dinner when Goku lay alone in the grass outside, gazing at the stars. She couldn't stop thinking about it. She wanted to ignore Vegeta and carry on happily at home, which she had mostly done. But the memories of the last night kept nagging at her. Goku stood from the grass as she made a decision.

"Goku! It's almost time for bed!" Chi-Chi yelled through the kitchen window as she saw Goku standing.

"Uh…I'll be inside in a little while!" Goku called back. "I'm gonna go…uh…collect some firewood!" Goku called.

"What? Goku, don't we have plenty of firewood?" Chi-Chi yelled back. Goku stepped around to the side of the house, slapping her hand against her forehead as she spotted the huge stockpile of firewood. She glanced around cautiously before frowning guiltily and holding an open palm towards the pile of firewood, incinerating the entire stack with a concentrated blast of ki. "What was that?" Chi-Chi called at the sound and feel of the explosion slightly rocking the house.

"It looks like we're all out!" Goku called with a mischievous smile. "Don't worry! I'll be back soon!" Goku called as she placed two fingers to her forehead and focused on Vegeta. Goku found herself in the gravity chamber, instantly crashing to the ground with a pained grunt at the unexpected intense gravity before she harnessed her strength and stood upright, looking at the slightly amused face of Vegeta, who was in the middle of practicing some kata.

"What's wrong, Kakarot? Haven't regained your strength from that ki drain yet?" Vegeta taunted as he resumed his kata.

"It's not that. When you instantaneously move into it, the gravity comes on too sudden to adjust, you know?" Vegeta frowned as Goku smiled. "Sorry, Vegeta. I forgot. You can't do instantaneous movement. How could you know?" Vegeta sneered at Goku's remark as he threw another punch into the air.

"What do you want?" He asked absently as he continued his workout.

"We need to talk about last night, Vegeta." Goku said seriously as she frowned at Vegeta.

"What about it?" He asked indifferently, not faltering the slightest in his movements.

"What…what about it?" Goku asked dumbly, her expression deeply perplexed. Vegeta seemed so calm and unaffected, like it never happened. Was it really just a dream? No. "You know what I mean." She pushed with a stern expression.

"Oh. Are you sore about me taking down that machine when it was your turn?" Vegeta asked before he kicked into the air with a shout. "You'll need to get over it, Kakarot. You can't always be the one to take down the enemy." Goku gawked at Vegeta speechlessly. He really didn't know what she was talking about. It _was_ all in her head. Goku stuttered as she attempted to find something else to say. "Now if you don't mind, I'm busy here." Vegeta added dismissively, interrupting Goku's stuttering. Goku blinked a few times before speaking again.

"O-okay. I need to get going anyways. Chi-Chi should be waiting for me to get to bed." Vegeta gave a curt nod as he continued with a focused expression doing his workouts without looking at Goku. Goku raised her fingers to her forehead as she watched Vegeta carefully, still perplexed over what had been going through her head all day. How could she have worried herself so much over something that never even happened?

"Sleep well." Vegeta said as he stopped exercising and smirked at a focused Goku. Just before Goku disappeared, Vegeta licked his lips seductively. Goku gasped sharply as she found herself rematerializing upside down over the roof of her house, landing with a hard thud on her head.

"Goku! Was that you?" She heard Chi-Chi's voice calling from inside the house as Goku clutched her head and jumped down from the roof.

"Y-yes!" Goku cried out as she grimaced in pain. "I'm just…getting that firewood. I'll be in soon!" Goku called as she ran into the woods. She stopped when she was alone and balled her fists angrily. She couldn't believe Vegeta really did that! She growled aggressively as she punched into the tree next to her, knocking it down. At least she had plenty of trees to take it out on tonight before she had to go home and act like everything was fine. Goku continued punching and kicking down trees as she decided that was exactly what she would do. It was obvious that Vegeta didn't want to talk about it. If anything, he just wanted to rub it in her face. Well, if he didn't want to talk, they wouldn't talk. They wouldn't even have to see each other anymore until she made her wish on the Dragonballs.


	25. Separation

A/N: Happy Mother's Day to all of you readers who are mothers!

Just wanted to include a side note that the incident between Vegeta and Goku was a bit severe, but it seemed something Vegeta would be very capable of towards Goku in my opinion. He's been quite cruel towards him before on the show, so it seemed fitting, even though some of you may not have liked it. But that was the darkest moment in the fic, in case anyone was worried that this was getting too serious. It's not that kind of story.

* * *

Goku sat with her head low, rolling a smooth white stone back and forth across the kitchen table between her hands thoughtfully. Five more months until the orange coloring and stars would appear. She sighed with a disinterested frown as she grasped the stone in one hand and leaned back in her chair, playfully tossing the stone repeatedly until the sound of a car horn made her startle and lose her balance, falling out of the chair and landing on her rear with a yelp. The front door flew open as a hulking figure ducked into the doorway.

"Helloooo!" A booming voice called as Goku scrambled to her feet and small footsteps scurried past her to greet their visitor.

"Grandpa!" Goten shouted as Goku righted the chair and retrieved the dropped Dragonball.

"Goten!" The Ox King replied as he peered around the massive stack of packages he carried. "I have something for you!" He stepped into the living room, placing the packages on the living room table with a heavy sigh as Goten hugged his leg tightly.

"Presents!" Goten shouted excitedly as he dove to the ground on his knees, instantly attacking the pile of gifts. Goku stepped forward to greet the Ox King as another figure barreled through the door, plopping her own heap of packages into Goku's arms abruptly.

"Goku! Take these!" Chi-Chi shouted as Goku grimaced upon receiving the sizeable load.

"H-hey, Chi-Chi!" Goku greeted as she almost toppled off-balance and set the packages on the kitchen table with a thud.

"I'm running so late! I need to get started on dinner right away!" Chi-Chi exclaimed in a frenzy as she dropped the remainder of her bags and pulled her apron off the hook on the wall. She tied the apron hurriedly around her waist and methodically set to work in the kitchen as Goku blinked blankly at her.

"Goku!" Ox King bellowed as he clapped a heavy hand on Goku's shoulder.

"Ox King! How was shopping?" Goku replied with a wide smile as she inclined her head towards the much taller figure beside her. The Ox King opened his mouth to reply as another voice answered Goku's question, startling both of them.

"It was great!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as she chopped vegetables in the kitchen. "First we shopped for clothes for Gohan and Goten, then Dad _insisted_ on buying those gifts," Chi-Chi added as she gestured with the knife she held towards the pile of shredded boxes, papers and new toys where Goten was laughing and enjoying his new presents. "…then we stopped in housewares to find a new toaster, you know I told you we needed one, Goku…" Chi-Chi continued rambling excitedly as she returned her eyes to the foods she was preparing, and Goku patted the Ox King on the chest with the back of her hand, smiling widely at him.

"Thanks for taking her." Goku whispered with a wink as the Ox King winked back and smiled.

"No problem, Goku." The Ox King quietly chuckled through his teeth as Chi-Chi stopped talking at the sound and quickly spun to face her father and husband with a suspicious expression. Goku and the Ox King both froze, smiling tightly under Chi-Chi's scrutinizing gaze until Chi-Chi finally returned to what she was doing, resuming her story about shopping. Goku heaved a sigh of relief. Chi-Chi would not be happy to know that Goku put her father-in-law up to the task of shopping in her place.

"…and after we ate lunch, I helped Dad shop for a new rug for his place…" Chi-Chi's speech gradually slowed until she trailed off completely, scraping all the chopped food into the pot on the stove as she turned with a pensive expression and a finger on her chin. "Dad, am I forgetting anything?" Chi-Chi asked, tilting her head curiously at the Ox King as he raised his eyebrows in surprise at even being asked.

"Uh…umm…" He turned to Goku raising his hands in the air questioningly with a shrug. He finally turned to Chi-Chi, shaking his head no. Chi-Chi turned to the stove and set the flame, cooking the food that Goku was already enjoying smelling.

"Dinner should be ready in a little while." Chi-Chi said as she glanced at the clock on the wall and removed her apron. "Gohan and Videl should be here soon." Goku and the Ox King smiled as Goten jumped out from the living room, carrying a toy truck and smiling.

"My brother's coming home? I can show him my new toys!" Goten said excitedly.

"First you need to clean up your mess. And then take your bath before dinner." Chi-Chi ordered strictly as Goten nodded dutifully, placing his truck down carefully on the table.

"Okay, Mom." Goten pouted as he pushed out his bottom lip and shuffled into the living room to clean his mess. Chi-Chi crossed her arms and watched Goten adoringly before smiling at Goku.

"You know, Gohan and Videl are getting serious. I think we might have a wedding on our hands soon." Chi-Chi beamed and clasped her hands together as her eyes teared at the prospect. "Remember our wedding, dear? Wasn't it so beautiful?" She asked as she sighed and fluttered her lashes. She shifted her eyes to the side where Goku was standing as she waited for a reply, and frowned deeply when she saw that Goku was gone. "Goku!"

"What, Chi-Chi?" Goku asked obliviously, her voice resonating from the floor. Chi-Chi glared where Goku now sat on the ground with Goten, curiously inspecting all of the new toys.

"What are you doing?!" Chi-Chi yelled angrily as she stomped her foot. "I just told Goten to clean that up!"

"It's fine, Chi-Chi." Goku said as she stood from the ground, grabbing heaps of papers in each hand. "See? All clean now, right Goten?" She asked as she threw the papers in the trash, glancing over her shoulder at her son who now stood proudly in the clean living room, nodding and smiling widely.

"That's not the point!" Chi-Chi yelled with a growl of frustration just as the front door swung open. Upon seeing the pair entering through the front door, her tone immediately became sweet and inviting. "Gohan! Videl!"

"Hi!" The young couple said as they stepped through the door and Videl politely offered Chi-Chi a bottle of wine.

"Thank you, Videl. You have such nice manners. You must've been raised well." Chi-Chi said as she accepted the bottle before glaring at Goku. "Unlike some people." She said harshly as Goku laughed guiltily.

Gohan sat on the couch beside the Ox King as Goten immediately bombarded the teens with the show of new toys. Chi-Chi cleared her throat and met Goku's eyes before nodding towards Goten and raising her eyebrows meaningfully. Goku frowned in confusion at Chi-Chi, who huffed and sagged her shoulders in defeat.

"Someone needs a bath." Chi-Chi hinted through her teeth as Goku raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I do?" She asked as she sniffed under her arm and Videl giggled at catching the sight. Chi-Chi immediately smacked Goku in the head with an open palm.

"Not you! You need to tell Goten to take a bath!" Chi-Chi yelled as Goku chuckled in realization and scooped the boy into her arms, interrupting his bragging.

"Sorry, little guy. Mom says you need a bath before dinner." Goku apologized as Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and Goku carried the disappointed, groaning boy into the bathroom.

"Chi-Chi! Gohan and Videl were shopping today, too!" The Ox King announced, drawing Chi-Chi into the living room to join him on the couch.

"Really? Where?" Chi-Chi asked with interest as she placed her hands in her lap and looked at Gohan and Videl, who glanced at each other with a shrug.

"Well…we were shopping for clothes." Videl said slowly with a slight blush.

"And…shoes." Gohan said uncomfortably as Chi-Chi pursed her lips suspiciously.

"Just what were you two up to today?" She asked accusingly. The teens frowned silently and Chi-Chi stood up suddenly, pointing at Videl. "I knew it! She is a hussy! What have you been doing with my son?" Chi-Chi asked as Videl's jaw dropped in disbelief before she glared right back at Chi-Chi.

"Not this again!" Gohan exclaimed as he grabbed Videl's hand, attempting to keep her from standing to face off with his mother. "Wait!" Gohan shouted as Videl began yelling, promptly shutting her mouth to face Gohan's outburst in surprise. "Guess who we saw today?" He asked with a hopeful smile.

"…Who?" Chi-Chi asked as her attention shifted from Videl to Gohan and her eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected comment.

"Bulma. She was shopping for clothes, _just like we were_." Gohan said, nodding and placing strong emphasis on his last statement.

"How is Bulma?" The Ox King asked happily as he clasped his hands in his lap. "I haven't seen her in a while." Chi-Chi sat beside the Ox King with a thoughtful frown.

"No, Dad. We haven't either. It's been a few months, hasn't it?" Chi-Chi mused as she placed a finger by her lips. Gohan sighed with relief at the diffused argument as he retook his seat with Videl by his side.

"Yeah, that's what _she_ said." Gohan said with a smile. "So she invited us over for dinner next weekend. She's going to invite the whole gang, I think."

"Oh." Chi-Chi said with mild interest before glancing into the kitchen at the hissing sound of a pot boiling over. "Oh dear! Dinner's ready!" Chi-Chi exclaimed as she hurriedly ran into the kitchen. "Gohan, can you help your father get Goten to the table so we can eat?" Chi-Chi asked as she tended to the stove and the bathroom door flew open. Videl giggled as a naked boy ran from the bathroom, dripping water all over the floor as Goku chased him with a towel.

"Yes, Mom." Gohan answered begrudgingly with a frown as he watched the spectacle and heard Goku yelling at Goten to stay still.

"Stay here, Gohan. I'll help." Videl said sweetly, placing her hand over Gohan's before he turned towards the bedroom Goku and Goten ran into earlier. Chi-Chi began setting the table as Gohan and the Ox King helped, and Chi-Chi smiled knowingly at Gohan.

"Just remember, Gohan." Chi-Chi warned as they finished setting the table and she began dishing the food onto the plates. "As much as I want grandchildren, we need a wedding first." She said insistently as Gohan blushed and frowned while his grandfather chuckled at the warning.

"Not everyone is ready to get married at the age of twelve, Chi-Chi." The Ox King teased.

"I did not marry Goku when I was twelve!" Chi-Chi huffed stubbornly.

"But you would have." The Ox King pointed out with a wide smile. Chi-Chi smirked at her father.

"And you were all for it, weren't you? What kind of father encourages his little girl to get married so young?" Chi-Chi said teasingly with a playful smile as the Ox King blushed and rubbed the back of his head. Gohan chuckled at the bantering as the other three made it to the table, sitting down in relief from their difficult endeavor in the other room.

"I humbly receive this meal!" Everyone exclaimed, clapping their hands together before the feasting began. The beginning of the meal was mostly characterized by noisy eating, with some exchange of small talk between Chi-Chi and Videl, until the meal was winding down and Chi-Chi mentioned the invitation from Bulma again.

"Goku, Gohan was telling me earlier that he saw Bulma when he and Videl were out _shopping_." Chi-Chi said as Goku stopped eating and looked at Chi-Chi attentively. "She invited us for dinner next weekend. Do you want to go?"

"Nah. I'm not interested." Goku said nonchalantly as she resumed eating. Chi-Chi nodded in agreement before sipping her drink, but Goten immediately began whining.

"But _I _want to go! I haven't seen Trunks in so long!" Goten complained. "And I want to play with my new toys with someone!"

"You can go, Goten." Goku said with a smile. "Gohan will take you." Gohan frowned in disappointment at the assignment.

"Dad! I can't take him. Next weekend is…is…" Gohan looked to Videl for some help, and she startled upon receiving the look.

"Erasa's birthday party!" Videl exclaimed suddenly and loudly as everyone looked at her dubiously.

"Okay…" Chi-Chi answered as she shook her head. "Anyways, Goku. If you don't want to go, I'll just call Bulma and tell her we can't make it."

"Bulma's going to be maaaad." Goten said with a teasingly ominous tone as Gohan nodded in agreement. Goku gulped down her food and looked at Goten and Gohan with a deep frown.

"She will?" She asked worriedly.

"We haven't seen them for months and now we're refusing her invitation? She knows we're not busy, Goku." Chi-Chi said knowingly as she continued eating. Goku continued frowning at the thought of an angry Bulma. That woman could be almost as scary as Chi-Chi when she was angry. Goten smiled mischievously upon seeing the expression on Goku's face.

"Pleeeaase, can we go to Bulma's, Daddy?" Goten asked with wide, hopeful eyes and a heartwarming smile. Goku frowned weakly at the adorable look. How did Goten do that? Goku looked at Chi-Chi who smiled smugly at Goku.

"Now you finally see what I've been dealing with all these years we've been married. You can't say no to that face, can you?" Chi-Chi asked knowingly. Goku sighed before turning to Goten again, whose winning expression hit her like a beam of ki.

"Alright." Goku relented quietly as she continued eating.

"Yay!" Goten cheered, laughing giddily.

After the Ox King and Videl went home that evening, the family spent their remaining waking hours of the day together. When they headed to bed that night, Goku had trouble sleeping for the first time in a long time. Now she knew that she'd have to face Vegeta again _before_ she changed back to normal. Separation was no longer a possibility.


	26. Not What I Expected

"Is everything outside now?" Bulma's feminine voice shouted through the open door leading to the outside patio, where a man and a boy worked effortlessly, moving large furniture with one hand from place to place.

"Yes! Are we done now?" Vegeta responded irritably as he threw the final piece of furniture, which crashed harshly to the ground.

"Watch it!" Bulma scolded upon seeing the crash, as she ran outside, glaring at her husband. "If you throw everything around like that, you're going to break it, Vegeta!"

"Maybe this planet should produce more durable furniture." Vegeta huffed with a scowl as he crossed his arms.

"Well, until we have Saiyan-proof furniture, how about you _try_ being more gentle?" Bulma remarked snidely as she crossed her arms, mirroring Vegeta's stance. Vegeta sneered at the remark before slowly turning his head and taking in the completed setting for the upcoming party.

"I'll be in the gravity chamber." Vegeta stated as he decided that he was done now, whether the woman agreed or not.

"Can I come too, Papa?" Trunks asked, running a few steps to catch up to his father, who stopped abruptly at the question without turning to face the boy.

"Neither of you are going to the gravity chamber!" Bulma forbid with an arrogant glare. "This party starts in an hour, and you two are not showing up to it sweaty and dressed in Saiyan armor!" Vegeta scoffed at the remark before continuing his walk towards the house. "You better be heading for the shower, Vegeta!" Bulma called threateningly after him. Vegeta paused and frowned deeply, wanting to disagree with her. But finally he relented, giving a curt nod and a growl of aggravation as he marched into Capsule Corporation to do as he was told. "That goes for you, too, Trunks." She added as she placed her hands on her hips with satisfaction and turned to face the boy.

"Aww, Mom. I'm not even sweaty." Trunks complained as he pursed his lips in dissatisfaction.

"Right now!" Bulma yelled, pointing with an extended arm into the house and tapping her foot stubbornly. Trunks huffed and crossed his arms as he turned to the house, muttering unhappily to himself with the task put before him. "Good. Now that's done." Bulma said with a smile as she checked her watch for the time. "Oh! We have less than an hour now! I'd better hurry and get to work!" Bulma exclaimed as she ran to a control panel on the wall, quickly pushing a series of buttons. She sighed in relief as a group of robots approached her, and she programmed each one with the push of a few buttons. "There!" She heaved another sigh as she crossed her arms and watched the robots set to work, energetically cleaning, cooking, and setting out food and drinks while one headed to the door, prepared to greet the expected guests. Trunks came running downstairs, dressed and ready a moment later. Bulma smiled at the sight.

"Great, Trunks! I'm glad you're ready." She said as Trunks met her and she reached for her son, straightening the collar of his shirt. "Don't you look handsome!" She gloated proudly as Trunks blushed and frowned in embarrassment. "Now _I _need to get dressed. You wait here in case anyone shows up before I come down. Understand?" Bulma asked sternly as Trunks frowned, pushing his lips out in disinterest. "Trunks." She reasserted firmly as Trunks finally nodded in agreement.

"Okay." He huffed as he put his hands in his pockets and propped his back against the wall coolly. Bulma nodded to him as she reached the stairs, then quickly climbed them, heading to her room. She opened the door and frowned in disappointment upon finding it vacant. "Where is Vegeta? I thought he'd be in here." She mused quietly to herself before closing the bedroom door and heading to the closet.

"It's about time, Bulma. I was wondering if you'd ever get here." An arrogant voice said from behind her as Bulma smiled and spun to face him. Vegeta moved in quickly, wrapping Bulma possessively in his arms as she giggled and kissed his lips.

"Mmmm, Vegeta." Bulma said as she kissed him more deeply and the pair engaged in sensual caresses. Vegeta held Bulma's face as he kissed her longingly, and Bulma squeezed his butt with one hand while running an open palm over his muscular chest and shoulder with the other. Vegeta moved his mouth to Bulma's neck, nipping gently with his teeth before Bulma moaned and reluctantly pulled away. "We don't have time for that. Everyone will be showing up any minute now, Vegeta. I need to get dressed." Bulma said as she attempted to turn to the closet, but Vegeta spun her back into his arms.

"You think I care about greeting your scientific snobs? Let them wait." Vegeta said, kissing Bulma again and groaning in disappointment as she once again pulled away.

"Vegeta, this isn't a Capsule Corporation party. This is personal." Bulma said, sounding aghast at Vegeta's lack of knowledge of the event as she once again pulled away to face the closet. Bulma began searching through the clothing as Vegeta allowed her this time, his thoughts now distracted.

"Personal?" He asked warily. "You mean..." He added as he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms while Bulma pulled a dress from the closet.

"The gang. I thought I told you about running into Gohan and Videl at the mall the other day." Bulma said disinterestedly as she slipped off her current clothing and began slipping the dress on. Vegeta huffed and raised his eyebrows in surprise before glaring at Bulma.

"You did not tell me this was for them!" He said angrily. "Why not?" He asked accusingly.

"Sorry, _your highness_." Bulma remarked facetiously as she slipped into some shoes. "I guess it slipped my mind. What's the big deal, anyways? Now you know you can be yourself today." Bulma said dismissively as she headed for the bedroom door. "Now let's get downstairs. We can't leave Trunks to host the party." Bulma said with a laugh. She swung the bedroom door open and made her way down the hall as Vegeta leaned through the doorway into the hall, frowning thoughtfully as he heard Trunks' voice calling loudly and excitedly from downstairs.

"They're here!"

* * *

"So…why did you say Goku was late again?" Krillin complained, looking quite bored as he waited for his friend, supporting his head with his hand as he slightly leaned it to the side.

"Ugh!" Chi-Chi scoffed with a deep frown. "She decided to spend the day in the woods, doing who-knows-what."

"She just…forgot." Goten said helpfully lessening the tension he felt arising from his aggravated mother.

"Why couldn't you just…I don't know…tell her not to go in the woods before my party?!" Bulma complained irritably as she forcefully poked her fork into her food. She growled contemptuously as she poked the fork so hard that it made a screech against her plate. The meat she was targeting flew forcefully across the table, landing in Yamcha's glass with a splash. Yamcha and the people near him recoiled from the spray with deep frowns of surprise before Yamcha turned to Bulma with a scowl.

"Hey! Calm down, Bulma! I'm sure Goku will be here." Yamcha complained as he flicked the water off his sleeve. He grimaced at his water glass as he used a fork to retrieve the meat, placing it dripping on his napkin. "Can I get another drink?" He added as he turned to a nearby serving robot.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Goku does this all the time, and I've had it with her." Bulma complained as she tossed her fork on the table and crossed her arms, fuming quietly to herself. Vegeta growled and abruptly left the table as everyone was distracted by Bulma's tantrum.

"She came home just in time to leave for the party, but she was covered in mud!" Goten exclaimed with a laugh as Bulma rolled her eyes dismissively. Vegeta quietly slipped from the room, his position, distant from the others, making it easy for his exit to remain unseen.

"Her loss, right?" Bulma added with a shrug as she turned to 18, resuming a pleasant conversation and continuing to enjoy herself, whether all of her invited friends bothered to show or not. Vegeta flew away from Capsule Corporation, deciding to confront Goku and find out what her problem was. She had been making excuses to stay away for months now, and he had expected her to do the opposite. He was too proud to pursue her; it should be the other way around. But now, in the face of this blatant avoidance, Vegeta was done waiting.

* * *

Vegeta landed in the forest surrounding Goku's house, approaching the domicile on foot as he emerged through the shade of the trees. He smirked at the sight of a metal tub over a pile of burning twigs just outside the house, with a cascade of black hair and two arms extending across the rim in a relaxed manner. The woman in the tub quickly startled just as Vegeta emerged, and turned to face him with a disbelieving frown.

"Vegeta! What are you doing here?" She asked in alarm as she sank herself lower in the tub, concealing herself below the waterline.

"What are _you_ doing here? Aren't you coming to the party?" Vegeta asked accusingly as he slowly approached her.

"Stay back, Vegeta!" Goku warned, glaring forebodingly as she raised her hand towards him in threat. Vegeta stopped and balked in disbelief at her audacity. She couldn't be serious. He continued stepping towards her while Goku's scowl deepened. Without hesitation, she fired a small beam of ki at Vegeta, hitting him in the shoulder as he stumbled backwards and grimaced in pain at the unexpected attack. She used the moment of surprise to spring from the tub, grabbing her towel on the way out and sprinting into the house in a flash. Vegeta held his injured shoulder and growled furiously, yelling after her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" He shouted as he removed his fist from his shoulder to shake it at her. Goku hurriedly secured the towel around herself and turned, prepared to face Vegeta with her fists balled tightly by her sides. Vegeta stood outside the house, his pride forbidding him from following her any further, even if she did think it was her warning that held him back.

"You know what's wrong with me!" Goku yelled angrily, remaining in the house as the two argued through the open doorway, just barely able to see each other through the door frame where they both remained firmly planted.

"No, I don't." Vegeta said blatantly as he crossed his arms, hissing at the momentarily distracting pain in his shoulder. He frowned as he heard Goku's scoff from inside the house.

"And you're the one always calling _me_ an idiot." She said in a low and dangerous tone. Vegeta pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully for a moment as Goku remained silent. Now that he thought about it, she seemed upset the last time they talked, that day in the gravity chamber. Could it be that she really was angry about that? Vegeta slowly approached the house, his voice softening as he addressed her again.

"Kakarot..." He breathed, frowning and turning his face away from her glare in disappointment with allowing himself to show any weakness to her. Goku became on guard again, in spite of Vegeta's gentler approach, as she quickly stepped back and assumed a defensive stance.

"I said stay away, Vegeta." She said quietly, lowering her chin as she continued glaring at Vegeta's stealthily approaching figure. Vegeta paused and bit his lip in frustration.

"Kakarot, you really feel threatened by me?" Vegeta asked in open disbelief, dropping his hands to his sides and peering into the doorway, only inches from Goku now. She slowly raised her eyebrows at his question, and subconsciously allowed his continued approach.

"Threatened?" She asked as she crossed her arms around herself protectively. Vegeta nodded and stepped forward, inwardly sighing to himself as he now stood in front of her, and she seemed less guarded. She hesitated as she distractedly searched for an answer, seemingly undecided about that question. Vegeta took the opportunity to reach for her during her hesitation with a gentle touch, and as his hand brushed against her waist, Goku immediately reacted in utter surprise upon the contact.

"Don't touch me!" Goku yelled as she reflexively planted her fist in Vegeta's unguarded face forcefully, and he grunted at the impact before falling straight to the ground from the unforeseen attack. Goku assumed a fighting stance, readying herself for the retaliation she was now expecting from Vegeta after that move. She frowned down at Vegeta, waiting anxiously to see what he would do, and thinking in hindsight that it probably wasn't a good idea to hit him _inside_ her house. After a few tense moments, her eyes widened in surprise when the man at her feet remained still.

"Vegeta?" She called experimentally as she leaned forward to get a look at his face. Goku frowned and arched an eyebrow as she lightly kicked at Vegeta and realized he was out cold. She laughed guiltily as she rubbed the back of her head. "Oops. Guess I put a little more into that than I thought." Goku reached down to grab Vegeta's shoulders, rolling him over so he lay face-up, and pulled back thoughtfully as she placed her hands on her hips. "Well, can't say you didn't deserve it." She decided with a shrug and mischievous smile. "Looks like I don't have to see you at the party today after all." She decided as she smirked deviously and hoisted Vegeta's limp form over her shoulder, flying from the house.

* * *

Yamcha was approaching the exit of Capsule Corporation, supporting a staggering Master Roshi with his arm wrapped securely around the older man as he grabbed his keys in preparation for leaving. The party wasn't quite dying down yet, but Master Roshi was already a drunken wreck, and Yamcha had offered to bring him home. Just as he was about to reach for the door, the sound of a familiar voice halted him in place.

"Goku?" Yamcha questioned as he turned around to see his friend smiling with a very brief verbal greeting. "Goku! I thought you weren't going to make it!" Yamcha exclaimed as he crouched lower to catch a sliding, agitated Master Roshi.

"Goku?" Master Roshi questioned confusedly as he inclined his head toward his former pupil from his slumped position in Yamcha's arms. Upon seeing the woman before him, Master Roshi's eyes widened in surprise and he began cackling to himself. "Goku, you're a woman!" He exclaimed before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Yeah, Oldtimer. I know." Goku agreed with a confused frown.

"I...better get him home, Goku. He's had a few too many. But I'm glad I saw you before I had to leave." Yamcha said with a smile as he forcefully pushed Master Roshi through the door while the old man kept turning towards Goku as if he wanted to keep talking. Goku shrugged as she watched the other two leave, then turned to head to the room where the others would all be gathered.

"Goku!" They all cried as she walked in the door. After the usual greetings, a hug from Goten, a wink from Bulma, big smiles from Krillin and Tien, stoic nods from 18 and Piccolo, and some harping from Chi-Chi over her tardiness, Goku quickly settled to eat and join the party. As she sat eating, Bulma sat beside her.

"Goku, do you know where Vegeta is?" She asked as Goku's eyes widened with a curious questioning hum. "Because he left the party a while ago. The jerk didn't even tell me he was leaving. I thought maybe he went looking for you." Bulma said hopefully as she met Goku's eyes with a wide-eyed gaze.

"Really?" Goku asked. "Why would he need to look for me? Chi-Chi and Goten knew where I was." Goku remarked unflappably as she took another bite. Bulma frowned with dissatisfaction at Goku's answer.

"So you haven't seen him?" Goku swallowed her food and turned to Bulma with a smug smile.

"I'm sure wherever Vegeta is, he's perfectly fine." Goku said, reassuring Bulma as she accepted the second plate that Chi-Chi kindly offered. Goku smiled with satisfaction as she basked in the attention and admiration of her friends and family who had missed her presence earlier. This party turned out better than she expected.


	27. Payback's A Bitch

Vegeta inhaled sharply as he opened one eye, the throbbing pain in his head being the dominant sensation as he reawakened into consciousness. The secondary sensation he heard being the sound, the obnoxious sound, of a deep, throaty chuckle.

"This has to be the best thing I've seen in a long time." The low, level voice commented as Vegeta looked towards the sound, scowling at the irritating presence hovering before him. The chuckling resumed and Vegeta growled lowly in his throat, reluctant to produce a louder sound without hurting his aching head any more.

"What's so funny, Namek?" Vegeta asked forcefully as he moved to stand upright, recognizing an uncomfortable texture against his skin and the sensation of being restrained. When Vegeta realized he was already upright, he looked down at himself and gasped in disbelief as he budged again.

"So, what'd you do to Goku?" Piccolo asked accusingly as Vegeta growled furiously and fought the urge to curse that woman's name aloud.

"Nothing! This has nothing to do with Kakarot!" Vegeta shouted as he struggled to free himself, taking only a moment before he broke through the layers of rope confining him. He turned to see the large tree he had been attached to, then back to Piccolo, who seemed to be conveniently offering himself as a punching bag with the way he openly mocked the prince.

"Why don't I believe you?" Piccolo doubtfully prodded further as Vegeta glared and slowly closed in on Piccolo with a menacing look.

"I wouldn't be questioning me right now if I were you, Namek." Vegeta said threateningly as he smirked and turned up his palm, forming a blazing ball of ki in his hand as Piccolo cautiously distanced himself, then smiled smugly.

"You know, it's really hard to take your threats seriously like that, Vegeta." Piccolo commented as he nodded meaningfully towards Vegeta and his smug smile remained. Vegeta extinguished the ki and clenched his fists tightly as he once again willed himself not to curse that woman's name right now. How dare she leave him in this predicament! What the hell was she thinking? And where the hell did she leave his clothes?

Vegeta scoured the grounds surrounding him, and huffed in relief as he spotted his attire, piled at the base of the very tree he had been bound to naked. He flew down to it, quickly dressing himself as Piccolo patiently waited in the air above him, crossing his arms and frowning thoughtfully. Once Vegeta was dressed, Piccolo flew down to meet him, landing a few feet away and tilting his head in consideration of Vegeta.

"Whoever did this was nice enough to leave your clothes here for you. Not too many people are capable of doing something like this to _you_." Piccolo commented as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes knowingly at Vegeta. "I bet you're dying to hit her right now. But if you did that, you'd only be admitting that it _was_ Goku, wouldn't you?" Piccolo questioned tauntingly as Vegeta frowned deeply and irately at this infuriating situation. How badly he wanted to maim that woman right now, but the stupid Namek was right! Vegeta sighed heavily with frustration, looking around as he attempted to settle his mind and focus. Then he flashed his teeth and turned to Piccolo with a sinister smile.

"I couldn't tell you who did this." Vegeta lied calmly. "So I guess I'll have to settle for hitting _you_." Vegeta flexed his fists as his smirk deepened at the prospects of giving the green alien the beating he had been asking for with all of his prying lately.

"I'd like to see you try." Piccolo challenged daringly, glaring back at Vegeta and assuming a very serious expression as he moved into a defensive position. Vegeta chuckled mockingly before launching himself at Piccolo, his punch landing in empty air as the Namekian seemingly disappeared and reappeared behind Vegeta with a kick to the lower back. Vegeta launched a few more attacks, toying with the Namekian as he opted not to power up to battle the inferior fighter. Piccolo growled angrily, knowing Vegeta was not taking him seriously. He came at Vegeta with all his might, landing a powerful punch in Vegeta's gut.

When Vegeta recoiled and groaned in pain from the devastating hit, Piccolo smirked victoriously for only a moment, quickly following the hit with a hook, which landed squarely in Vegeta's cheek. Vegeta spit and wiped the blood that oozed from his mouth with the back of his hand before powering up to Super Saiyan in his anger and coming at Piccolo with a ruthless assault. He landed dozens of hits, damaging the fighter badly, before hammering Piccolo in the back with both fists grasped together. Piccolo screamed in pain and zoomed into the Earth at an incredible speed.

Vegeta smirked in satisfaction as he enjoyed releasing some of that aggression that had been festering since he regained consciousness. He readied himself to come at Piccolo again, stopping abruptly as he sensed a powerful ki approaching. He turned his head in that direction and waited while Piccolo emerged from the rubble at ground level, slowly levitating and apparently aware of their incoming visitor as well. Vegeta frowned in annoyance upon their intruder's arrival.

"Hey! Are you guys sparring?" He announced excitedly as soon as he arrived to the fight. Piccolo and Vegeta's eyes met as they frowned at one another. Then Piccolo's mouth turned up in a half-hearted smirk as he flew up to the other two.

"Yeah. You could say that." Piccolo agreed as he tore off the shredded sleeve of his tunic.

"Cool! Can I join in?" He asked with a big smile. Piccolo smiled fondly upon his ex-pupil while Vegeta frowned at the teen.

"Gohan! Where is Kakarot?" Vegeta asked abruptly as Gohan frowned in surprise at the unexpected question.

"Uh...she's at home. Why don't you stop by if you want?" Gohan suggested with a friendly smile.

Piccolo frowned deeply at Vegeta, who glared back at the Namekian as he said, "I think I'll do that." Vegeta blasted off towards the Son home, leaving a trail of white light behind him as Gohan turned to Piccolo with a hopeful smile.

"So, you and me?" Gohan asked as he raised his fists and smiled in anticipation. Piccolo groaned, feeling the pain from the injuries inflicted by Vegeta as he turned from watching Vegeta flying off to face Gohan.

"If we're going to spar right now, I'm going to need a senzu." Piccolo huffed as Gohan frowned dubiously, finally taking in the haggard and beaten state of Piccolo's appearance.

"Oh!" Gohan exclaimed in sudden realization. He chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Vegeta really did a number on you, huh?" He asked as Piccolo crossed his arms and frowned deeply. "Why don't we pay a visit to Dende? I think I'd rather catch up with him than spar right now anyways." Gohan amended as Piccolo grunted in agreement before frowning thoughtfully towards the Son home.

* * *

Vegeta landed just outside the little house, crossing his arms and frowning thoughtfully as he slowly approached. He could hear laughing and talking from inside, and picked up on a few energies in the house, which would make it a little more complicated for him to get what he came for. But he was _not_ going home unsatisfied today.

He let himself in through the front door, turning to face the kitchen where Goku, Krillin, and Goten sat around the table, laughing as Chi-Chi stood over Goku, serving her a drink. Krillin was telling some old story Vegeta had heard several times before and the rest of them were completely absorbed as they listened, until Chi-Chi happened to glance in Vegeta's direction and gasp in surprise. The others turned to look as Chi-Chi alerted them, and smiled in recognition. Goku smirked deviously.

"Vegeta!" They all exclaimed.

"Did you have fun sparring with Piccolo?" Goku added, her smirk planted on her face as she casually leaned back in her chair and placed her hands behind her head. Vegeta frowned, biting back the slew of comments that he felt the need to release as the others looked innocently and expectantly towards him.

"Gohan went to meet you guys. It felt like a pretty intense battle from here. Is he sparring with Piccolo now?" Krillin asked cluelessly, failing to notice the arising tension between Goku and Vegeta.

"No." Goku answered with certainty. "They're not even powered up." She added as she closed her eyes, focusing on Piccolo and Gohan's kis. "Piccolo's ki is pretty weakened." She turned to Vegeta with a smug smile. "You must have been pretty aggressive with him." She added as a small chuckle escaped her lips.

"I held back." Vegeta said spitefully as he narrowed his eyes at Goku. "I want a real spar now, Kakarot." Vegeta challenged, glaring at Goku. Goten continued watching the conversation with a blank stare while Chi-Chi's eyes widened in surprise as she finally realized that Vegeta seemed more tense than usual, and Krillin frowned in confusion as well.

"Vegeta, would you like something to eat?" Chi-Chi offered appeasingly as she headed for the refrigerator, smiling amicably until she realized that Vegeta's glare remained fixed on Goku.

"Now's not a good time, Vegeta." Goku lightly refused, smiling as she sipped at her drink and gently placed the cup on the table. "Why don't you stay and have something to eat?" She offered, reaffirming Chi-Chi's previous attempt.

"You should make it a good time." Vegeta insisted through his teeth, ignoring both Chi-Chi and Goku's offers. Goku glanced warily at Krillin and Chi-Chi, noticing the two becoming uneasy with Vegeta's behavior.

"I'll spar with you, Vegeta!" Goten offered with a big smile, jumping from his seat at the table to run to Vegeta's side. Vegeta lightly patted Goten on the head, his eyes remaining fixed on Goku, who startled at Goten's offer.

"No, Goten. I think I'll take this turn. You can spar next time." Goku decided as she rose from the table, meeting Vegeta and Goten and picking Goten up playfully.

"But Goku, I thought you just said it wasn't a good time." Chi-Chi said, completely dumfounded as she stared at her husband. Goten pouted in disappointment, and Goku placed him back in his seat at the table.

"I changed my mind. I'll be back soon. I promise." Goku said, winking at Goten and waving at the others who frowned back at her in confusion as she followed Vegeta from the house. Vegeta marched outside impatiently, immediately taking off to gain some distance from the others as he expected Goku to follow.

She did so willingly, and Vegeta nodded curtly to himself in satisfaction as he sensed her following closely. It was about time that woman reacted in a way he expected her to. Vegeta reached a place he found suitable to stop, and landed, facing Goku who halted suddenly and flew to the ground to meet him. Vegeta attempted to find something to say, but instead did the first thing that came to mind, hurling his fist into her face. Goku just barely dodged the punch, grasping Vegeta's wrist with her nearest hand and looking at Vegeta as her eyes widened.

"Are you angry with me, Vegeta?" She asked disbelievingly as Vegeta swung another punch, unsatisfied with the outcome of the first one.

"How dare you insult me like that, Kakarot!"

"Insult you?" Goku repeated in confusion. "Why do you say that?" She asked cluelessly as she blocked another punch that Vegeta swung in response to her question. "You mean you didn't like waking up in the woods?" Goku asked with a giddy chuckle as Vegeta glared harshly and attacked her again while she swiftly dodged the move.

"Of course not!" Vegeta bellowed as he swung again, grazing Goku's cheek this time when she barely managed to move out of the way.

"Hey! You're the one who decided it was okay!" Goku yelled as she took her first swing at Vegeta, smiling as she did so.

"What?!" Vegeta growled in disbelief as he easily dodged Goku's attack and she smirked before seemingly disappearing. Vegeta closed his eyes and focused on Goku's ki as he tried to locate her, focusing his sight just over his shoulder as she showed up immediately behind him. Goku wrapped her arms around Vegeta's shoulders, grimacing with a worried gasp when her arms weren't long enough to reach and secure the grasp. Vegeta smirked at her disadvantage, grasping both of her forearms and hurling her to the ground with incredible force. He frowned and flew down to her landing site, giving her time to recover from the crash as he waited for some answers. Goku shot from the hole in the ground, seemingly uninjured and unaffected by Vegeta's attacks aside from a few minor scrapes. She landed right in front of Vegeta with her hands on her hips.

"You're the one who decided we could do whatever we want to each other when we can't defend ourselves, Vegeta." Goku said honestly with a wide-eyed expression. Vegeta gaped at Goku's claim as he repeatedly tightened his fists by his sides and heaved a few frustrated breaths.

"I...I..." Vegeta stuttered in disbelief as he bared his teeth at Goku.

"I was supposed to like what you did to me, _right_?" Goku asked as she cocked an eyebrow at Vegeta challengingly.

"I was trying to help you!" Vegeta claimed exasperatedly as Goku frowned in disbelief.

"Help me?" She repeated dubiously as she crossed her arms. "How?"

"Dammit, Kakarot! You're a woman! But you're still thinking like you're a man! I wanted to show you how I could make you feel!" Vegeta refuted with frustration as he sneered and turned his face from Goku, crossing his arms tightly.

"You didn't do that for _me_, Vegeta." Goku said knowingly. Vegeta huffed as he and Goku stared at each other silently. Her subtle glare remained fixed on his deep scowl as she lowered her chin, and Vegeta's frown deepened. Finally, Vegeta scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Maybe...that shouldn't have happened." Vegeta mumbled resentfully. "And it won't happen again as long as we have an understanding." Vegeta added demandingly. Goku smirked in satisfaction and nodded.

"Then I'm sorry, too, Vegeta." She said with a warm smile as she relaxed her arms by her sides and Vegeta gaped at her response.

"I didn't s-" Vegeta began as Goku interrupted him.

"So what did Piccolo say when he found you, anyways?" She asked smugly with an amused tone. Vegeta bared his teeth at Goku in annoyance.

"You know, you're a real bitch as a woman." Vegeta complained bitterly as he shook his head. Goku chuckled naughtily with a toothy grin. Vegeta shook his head and turned towards Goku with a serious expression. "Piccolo knows it was you." Vegeta informed Goku as she raised her eyebrows and frowned at the surprising news. "Well don't look so surprised! You may as well have left a note with your name on me, it was so obvious!" Vegeta yelled condescendingly as Goku lowered her head and frowned thoughtfully. After a moment, she inclined her head towards Vegeta and smiled as a thought occurred to her.

"That's okay, Vegeta! There are plenty of reasons I would do that to you!" Goku said with a wide smile as Vegeta glared back at her. "It doesn't mean that Piccolo knows what's been going on between us!" She said as her smile widened and she assumed a triumphant stance. Vegeta scoffed through his teeth doubtfully.

"How about you don't try outsmarting anyone?" Vegeta suggested dryly. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Hey!" Goku responded with an offended frown as Vegeta turned away from her.

"I'm going to keep my distance from you from now on." Vegeta said, glancing back at Goku over his shoulder. "You'll do the same." He ordered sternly as Goku balked in surprise before Vegeta quickly took off into the air, leaving Goku coughing and shielding her eyes from the dust he left behind. Goku frowned into the air where Vegeta had flown, then sighed as she turned away with her eyes downcast.

"They'll be waiting for me. I should go back." She told herself as she glanced again towards where Vegeta had been a moment ago. "Five more months." Goku reminded herself with a heavy sigh before blasting into the air and flying towards home.


	28. Broken Agreement

The next month passed uneventfully, as did the following month, and the next month. Goku began to feel relieved as time passed and life returned to normal. Or as normal as it could while she was a woman. She missed certain things about being a man. Like being able to pee standing up, or carelessly strip outdoors to go swimming. She missed bathing with Goten and playing in the tub together. And when training, she found a lot of disadvantages to this body, compared to the male body she was used to. But she also found a lot of new advantages she'd never had before.

That was the fun part about being a woman. She found when sparring with a man, they always seemed more reluctant to hit her at full power. Her smaller stature made it easier to slip underneath her opponent for sneakier attacks. And her lithe figure seemed to improve her agility and speed. It had been difficult to adapt in the beginning, but now she had trained this body well enough to feel she had mastered her movements in it.

And she had. She convinced Piccolo to give it his all against her, she fought Gohan several times, and Krillin, and Goten. She even convinced Chi-Chi to give it a try when she was bored one day and the others had had enough. Now they were all complaining that they needed a break from training with her.

So Goku was in a difficult spot. She _really_ wanted to keep training, and currently, she was training on her own. She had considered going to King Kai's again, but after her last visit there, couldn't see risking a run-in with the Elder Kai in her current body. She had asked 18 to fight her, but 18 refused, claiming she had better things to do. The only person strong enough to be a challenge, and interested enough in fighting to last long enough to entertain her, she was forbidden from seeing.

But maybe she could break their agreement for this purpose. They had zero contact for three whole months, and it was almost time for the Dragonballs to activate. What could Vegeta really be angry about if she showed up now? It was just training, and he wouldn't want to miss out on the good fight she'd offer with all the training she'd been doing.

Goku frowned thoughtfully as she paused the series of kicks and punches she had been performing into the air while musing. She rubbed her chin and pursed her lips as she gazed at the stars in the blackened sky above her. Chi-Chi was busy cleaning the kitchen after dinner, and Gohan and Goten were playing a game together inside. They wouldn't notice if she disappeared for a few minutes. Goku smirked happily as she placed two fingers to her forehead and focused on Vegeta's ki.

* * *

Goku reappeared in Vegeta and Bulma's bedroom, which was mostly dark aside from the dim light of the bedside lamp. She noticed a moving form in the bed, and hesitantly approached it as she tilted her head in observation of the strange form under the sheets. Upon hearing a moan of one voice, and a grunt from another, Goku gasped as the sheet slid lower, revealing the skin of Vegeta's back as Bulma's face turned towards Goku beneath him. Goku and Bulma met eyes as Vegeta froze his movements in response to the earlier sound and the expression he now saw on Bulma's face. Bulma let out a scream as Goku gasped again and stepped back with an apologetic expression. Vegeta turned his head towards Goku, growling through his teeth as he pushed off of Bulma.

"Kakarot! What are you doing in here?!" Vegeta yelled as Bulma glared angrily at Goku and used the sheets to cover herself. Vegeta stood from the bed and Goku's eyes widened as she froze, her eyes fixating on Vegeta's naked body as he approached her.

"S-sorry!" Goku exclaimed with a nervous chuckle, looking from Vegeta to Bulma. "How was I supposed to know what you were doing right now?" She claimed defensively as her eyes veered again towards the naked man in front of her. Bulma abruptly threw the sheets at Vegeta as she also stood from the bed, grabbing her clothing which lay on the ground beside it. She marched over to Goku, waving her finger angrily in the other woman's face as she used her other hand to hold the clothing against herself, covering her naked body. Goku retreated a few steps from the angered woman with a grimace as Bulma yelled.

"This is why you should be more careful with that instantaneous movement of yours!" Bulma scolded irately. She crossed her arms and frowned deeply as she haughtily turned away from Goku. "How rude!" She exclaimed as she closed her eyes indignantly.

"But Bulma, you like when I use my instantaneous movement when you need my help!" Goku claimed as she tilted her head and studied her friend's angry expression with confusion. Bulma growled irritably as Vegeta approached the women again, having slipped on a pair of pants during the distraction of their short argument. He gently pushed Bulma aside as he closed in on Goku, glaring angrily at her.

"Kakarot, what do you want?" He asked bluntly, as Goku turned to face him with a clueless expression.

"Umm…" She faltered, blushing and biting her lip as she struggled to focus on remembering why she was coming there in the face of this embarrassing and distracting encounter. Vegeta smirked arrogantly, realizing what had Goku so flustered.

"Maybe I should rephrase that." He said proudly as he crossed his arms. "Why did you come here?" Goku frowned at Vegeta, knowing he was amused by her discomfort.

"Yeah, why did you come here, Goku?" Bulma asked hostilely as she drew Goku's attention back to her, glaring and making Goku nervous. Bulma's expression softened, turning to one of worry as she took in Goku's nervous look. "Is there something wrong?" She asked with genuine concern.

"No! No, nothing's wrong." Goku responded quickly, shaking her head. "But…you know what? It wasn't important. I'll tell you later." She answered with a nervous chuckle. Bulma frowned in confusion at Goku's answer as Vegeta smirked and nodded knowingly. Goku met Vegeta's eyes, staring blankly at his arrogant expression.

"Gok-" Bulma began objecting as Goku suddenly disappeared from the room, and Bulma stopped in mid-speech, pulling her arms to her chest in surprise at the startling exit. She turned to Vegeta, who calmly stared into the blank space Goku had previously occupied. "What do you think that was about?" She asked Vegeta. Vegeta shook his head before quickly returning his attention to Bulma.

"Who knows? Obviously Kakarot wants something." Vegeta said dismissively as he looked Bulma up and down. "But so do I." He added with a devious smirk as he tore Bulma's clothing from her grip, exposing the beautiful woman before him as he caressed her and the two quickly returned to the bed. Bulma began unfastening Vegeta's pants with a determined expression as she lay beneath him, then stopped abruptly. She looked to the other side of the room with a look of worry as Vegeta frowned in disappointment.

"Do you think she might come back?" Bulma asked worriedly as she fixated her gaze on the area where Goku had just appeared earlier. Vegeta groaned in contempt as he followed Bulma's gaze and pulled away from her.

"No." He said as he quickly kissed Bulma, attempting to distract her worried thoughts. Bulma kissed him back, but Vegeta could sense her hesitation in the way she kissed and caressed him now. He pulled away from her, studying her face as he questioned her. "Are you going to worry about _her_ or _me_?" Vegeta moved in for another kiss and Bulma pulled away, frowning in disappointment.

"I'm sorry, Vegeta. But I just can't stop thinking that Goku's going to show up any second now!" Bulma announced with frustration as Vegeta propped himself on his knees and Bulma climbed from the bed. Vegeta huffed angrily as he plopped into the bed on his back. With a heavy sigh of disappointment, Bulma headed into the adjoining bathroom, changing for bed.

"Damn you, Kakarot." Vegeta grumbled to himself as he shook his head in disbelief at the evening's interruption. "I told you not to come around here." He muttered with slight annoyance as he settled his head into the pillow, sighing heavily before his eyes grew heavy, and he soon fell asleep.

* * *

Vegeta finished breakfast the following morning, fully satisfied from both his fulfilling breakfast and the way Bulma had made up for last night earlier in bed. He sighed contently as Trunks sat beside his father, mirroring his mannerisms as he finished his own meal. Vegeta smiled proudly at his son for a moment, before turning his attention to the distracting call of Bulma's mother.

"Vegeta! Trunks! Are you all finished with breakfast now?" She asked as she walked to the table with a large smile.

"Yeah, Grandma! It was really good!" Trunks said as he jumped from his chair with a wide smile, holding his plate out to his grandmother.

"Good!" Mrs. Briefs said as she accepted the empty plate and returned to the kitchen with it. She glanced over her shoulder from her place at the sink as she added, "Vegeta, can you bring your dish here please?" Vegeta scowled at the woman. When would these Earthlings learn that the prince of all Saiyans does not do chores? Then again, this woman was _Bulma's_ mother. It wasn't too surprising that she expected this of him. And Bulma would shriek and holler once she found out he refused her mother the simple action. Vegeta rolled his eyes with a groan as he reluctantly brought the plate to Mrs. Briefs, withholding eye contact as he placed the dish on the counter beside her and turned away.

"Oh! Thank you, Vegeta!" Mrs. Briefs exclaimed suddenly to Vegeta's back as she turned to notice the plate. Vegeta jumped when he felt a pinch on his backside, and turned to face Mrs. Briefs with a disbelieving expression. She giggled flirtatiously, covering her mouth as she returned to her work at the sink, and Vegeta scoffed as he walked away. She was definitely just like her daughter, just without any sense.

* * *

Vegeta headed downstairs, searching for Bulma where he expected to find her working in the lab. He didn't know, nor care, what she was currently working on. But something had been keeping her busy down there lately. He opened the first door, closing it quickly as he found the room empty. When he opened the second one, he walked into the room, satisfied to have found Bulma exactly where he expected to.

"Vegeta. What are you doing down here?" Bulma asked distractedly as she only glanced from her computer for a moment at the sound of the door opening and his footsteps approaching. She returned to typing quickly, squinting into the computer screen with a focused expression as Vegeta frowned at her.

"You were supposed to fix the gravity chamber." Vegeta prompted as Bulma raised her eyebrows in surprise and finally pulled her attention from the computer as she turned to look at him.

"Yes. You just broke it yesterday, Vegeta." She answered, frowning back at him. "I have other things to do besides fixing the things _you_ break all the time." Bulma said sternly as she returned her gaze to the computer screen once again.

"I would think after this morning, you'd be more than willing to fix that for me today." Vegeta said with an arrogant smirk as Bulma turned to him once again, gaping at his audacity.

"Vegeta. Did you ever consider that maybe this morning wouldn't have happened if the gravity chamber weren't broken in the first place?" Bulma challenged, cocking an eyebrow at Vegeta arrogantly as he scoffed at her claim. She returned to the computer, taking a sip of coffee as she continued speaking to Vegeta without looking at him. "Admit it. You would have been out there training before I even woke up this morning. Now, I have work to do here. _Important work_." She added pointedly as she turned to Vegeta with a smirk. "So I will fix the gravity chamber when I'm done here. Whenever that is. You'll just have to wait." She added haughtily as she spun in her chair, dismissively turning her back to Vegeta as she walked off into the lab to fetch materials. Vegeta frowned deeply as he left the lab at a hurried pace, yelling for Trunks. If he couldn't have the assistance of added gravity to intensify his training, at least Trunks should pose some sort of a challenge. At the very least, the boy could use more training.

* * *

Vegeta tsked disappointedly as he watched his son practicing the moves they had been doing together for the last hour. It was only an hour, but the boy was acting like he was getting tired already. He was slowing down, breathing heavy and dragging his feet.

"Trunks!" Vegeta called loudly as the boy turned to his father, immediately powering down as his blonde hair fell smoothly against his head and the purple coloring faded back into it. Vegeta glared at the change as the boy stepped right in front of his father, looking up expectantly as he breathed heavily with the exertion of his workout. "Why did you power down?" Vegeta asked disapprovingly as Trunks frowned guiltily.

"I…thought it was time for a break." Trunks explained warily as his father continued glaring at him.

"I will tell you when it is time for a break!" Vegeta scolded as Trunks puckered his bottom lip, looking like he was ready to cry. "Don't cry!" Vegeta yelled as he glared more harshly at his son. Trunks bit his lip hard, nodding in agreement as he struggled to reign in the tears he felt coming. Vegeta shook his head and huffed in frustration at the sight. "We'll take a break for lunch." He relented as Trunks smiled with relief, too quickly. "But after lunch, you are going to train twice as hard as you are right now! You're getting lazy, Trunks!" Vegeta scolded strictly as Trunks frowned in disappointment again.

"Vegeta! Trunks is just a boy!" A woman scolded harshly from the house as Vegeta winced at the angry tone in her voice. "Stop being so tough on him!" Vegeta turned to face her, glaring daringly back at the infuriated, protective mother.

"This is nothing compared to my training as a child!" Vegeta retorted. "You know nothing about being a warrior, Bulma. So stay out of it!" He shouted back at the house with a glare as Bulma was waving Trunks towards her and the boy was already obediently approaching his mother.

"I am Trunks' _mother_! I know more about him than anybody!" Bulma responded as Trunks reached her at the door and she possessively wrapped an arm around Trunks' shoulder, shooing the relieved boy into the house. "So I will not stay out of it. If he doesn't want to train anymore today, he doesn't have to!" She added with a firm nod and smug smile as she turned to follow Trunks in the house, muttering to herself. "The only people I know who never get tired of training are you and Goku. Crazy Saiyans." Bulma walked inside as Vegeta raised an eyebrow at overhearing Bulma's comment. That was true. No one would make a better challenge for training than Goku. But he wasn't going near her. Especially after her awkward appearance last night. The last thing he needed was for her to think he was pursuing her again. Vegeta followed his family into the house with a frown, settling for the simple enjoyment of another meal.

* * *

Vegeta settled for training himself the rest of the day, feeling frustrated and unsatisfied with the limitations he had to settle for around the grounds of Capsule Corporation, and without any longer having Trunks' assistance. He trained into the evening, only deciding to head indoors when dinnertime arrived. As Vegeta turned to head inside, he startled when he suddenly sensed a powerful presence just behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, frowning at the sight of Goku, standing with one hand clapped firmly over her eyes.

"Vegeta?" She questioned as he turned to her and silently crossed his arms with an amused smirk. "Vegeta!" She called louder, reaching her free hand forward and carefully approaching him. "Bulma isn't with you, is she?" Goku questioned, knowing Vegeta was there. Vegeta chuckled briefly as Goku raised her eyebrows at the sound, and slowly, hesitantly uncovered her eyes. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she recognized the outdoor scenery before setting her sight on Vegeta.

"Kakarot." Vegeta said expectantly as he waited for her to explain why she was showing up two days in a row now. "I guess you can't follow a simple agreement, can you?" He asked mockingly. Goku frowned seriously as she stared at Vegeta.

"I'm not here for you, Vegeta. I just want someone to train with." She admitted, maintaining her serious expression before taking a curious glance around the grounds of Capsule Corporation. She returned her gaze to Vegeta after taking in his worn, sweaty appearance, and the lack of anyone else around. "Don't you?" She added knowingly with a challenging smirk. Vegeta's smirk grew at the challenge.

"Be here tomorrow morning, Kakarot." He responded as he withheld his excitement from her, before turning away again, heading into the house as Goku smiled after him in satisfaction. Tomorrow was going to be fun.


	29. Rematch

The training was better than either of them expected. Goku enjoyed putting her new training to good use, and Vegeta enjoyed the new challenge of fighting her. It was like having a new rival. Sure, they had fought before after Goku changed, but now she had achieved a new level of skill in this form, beyond just using her strength. It made her the perfect opponent for Vegeta to improve his skills against.

After their first meeting for training, the two had reached an unspoken agreement to continue meeting weekly. As they met at the same time every week to spar, their families seemed relieved with the arrangement, as the Saiyans were no longer irritable and harassing everyone else around them for a challenge. And when they weren't training, the two were more relaxed at home. They hadn't realized it, but they both had been growing incredibly restless over the past three months of separation. And Goku looked forward to her meetings with Vegeta more and more with the passing weeks of training.

"Lunch time!" Mrs. Briefs called out to the yard where Goku and Vegeta were training quite a few miles from Capsule Corporation. But they would never miss the call for lunch. They both heard it loud and clear, and as much as they wanted to respond to it, they were engaged in a heated battle of strength with both hands grasped together, neither one wanting to be the first to relax and lose the fight.

"Wh-what's the matter, K-Kakarot?" Vegeta grumbled through his teeth as he glared at his opponent. "Not going to eat?" He asked forcefully as he struggled to fight against Goku's consistent force.

"Nooo! Not un…til I…beat…you!" Goku responded, huffing and struggling just as hard as Vegeta was. She grit her teeth, wincing as she fought the pressure Vegeta was applying against her hands. Vegeta yelled as he strengthened his efforts, a blast of air igniting into the sky above the two of them as the Super Saiyans glowed brightly with their blazing auras surrounding them, sparks igniting from their power. Suddenly, Vegeta crashed forward, forcefully landing on his face as Goku abruptly halted her struggle and stepped back, watching Vegeta fall hard as the intense pressure he had been applying was no longer met with any resistance. "Beat you to the table, that is!" She remarked playfully, looking down upon the stunned, pronated form of Vegeta as she rubbed her nose arrogantly with a haughty chuckle. Vegeta lifted his head to glare at her, and Goku laughed as she ran into the house. Vegeta growled and pounded his fist on the ground before springing up and chasing after her.

"Don't you dare touch my food, Kakarot!" Vegeta threatened as he slammed the door shut behind him, shaking the entire Capsule Corporation foundation as the Saiyans joined the others for lunch. Following a lunch full of crude eating habits and demeaning insults, the two Saiyans agreed to continue in the gravity chamber for a little longer before calling it a day.

* * *

Goku opened her eyes, groaning in pain as she lay on the gravity chamber floor. She strained to look around, her sight landing on the unconscious form of Vegeta a couple of feet away. She dragged herself weakly to him, tapping his face with her hand to wake him up when she reached him.

"Vegeta." She called quietly as she winced in pain from her previous injuries. "Vegeta!" She tried louder with another light smack when he didn't respond. She slipped a hand beneath his armor, searching for that pouch she hoped to find as Vegeta finally began to stir. She gasped in surprise when his hand suddenly shot up, grabbing her wrist.

"What are you doing?" He asked suspiciously, his eyes still closed as he hissed from his own pain.

"Do you have the senzu beans, Vegeta?" She asked hopefully as she retracted her hand and Vegeta allowed his to fall to the ground with a thud. He shakily reached with his other hand across his chest, pulling a small bag from beneath the other side of his armor as Goku wearily smiled with relief. Vegeta removed two beans, placing one in his mouth before handing one to Goku. She accepted it and fell to the ground on her back in exhaustion as she consumed the bean, both of them chewing quietly for a minute as they waited for their strength to be renewed. Once his strength returned, Vegeta sat up with a sigh, turning towards Goku with a concerned expression.

"I can't do this next week." He admitted as he turned away.

"What?! Why not?" Goku exclaimed, surprising herself with the intensity behind her response as Vegeta's eyes momentarily widened in shock.

"I just- I just can't keep doing this." Vegeta repeated gruffly as he frowned at her and stood. Goku stood quickly as well, grabbing Vegeta by the shoulders firmly before he could go anywhere.

"Vegeta!" She exclaimed as she struggled to find out what she was trying to say, and why the continuation of these training sessions was so important to her. "Tell me why not!" She repeated, strengthening her grasp as Vegeta tried to turn away again. Vegeta opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, clenching his teeth as he tried to pull away again, but Goku refused to let him move away. He pushed her away for a moment, but Goku firmly grasped Vegeta again before he could get away. His eyes met hers with a serious expression, a look of longing. Vegeta suddenly moved into her, his lips fiercely clashing against hers as Goku's eyes widened in surprise at the harsh kiss. Just as quickly, he pulled away forcefully, slapping Goku's hands off of him.

"That's why!" He exclaimed with a scowl. "Every time you're near me now, I can't-" He was cut off as Goku swiftly returned the action, planting her lips firmly against Vegeta's with a desperate kiss. Vegeta readily reciprocated, and the two embraced each other as their kiss deepened for a moment before Vegeta forcefully pushed Goku away again. "What are you doing?" Vegeta asked Goku in utter confusion as he met her eyes again, studying her expression intensely.

"I-I don't know." Goku replied, equally confused as she touched her fingertips to her lips and stared wide-eyed into Vegeta's eyes.

"I thought you didn't want any more of this!" Vegeta spat accusingly, glaring at Goku's confused mien.

"I…didn't think I did." Goku said as she contorted her brows in confusion and scratched the top of her head. Her eyes lowered from Vegeta's harshly glaring eyes to his mouth, and she licked her lips subconsciously. "But now I'm not so sure." Vegeta crossed his arms and raised his brows at her as he waited stubbornly for a better answer. When Goku continued staring at him in confusion, Vegeta groaned in annoyance.

"Kakarot." He said as he rolled his eyes. "I just told you I can't keep doing this. If you don't want to come around, then don't." Vegeta said blatantly as Goku frowned at the idea. But was it solely because of the training, or was there more to it? She couldn't deny that she liked kissing Vegeta, but did she really want to be involved with him again after what happened last time? The Dragonballs would be active in less than two weeks. The easy decision would be to keep her distance.

"I guess...we'll both have to wait and see if I decide to show up next week." Goku decided with a light hearted shrug and a small smile. Vegeta shook his head with a heavy sigh as he turned away from her, wasting no time in walking away.

"Fine." Vegeta stated simply as he continued walking away without casting another glance at Goku. Goku frowned as she watched him walk inside. Was Vegeta being aloof because he really didn't care what she decided, or was he just protecting himself? Knowing Vegeta, it could be either one. Goku crossed her arms and tilted her head as she pursed her lips thoughtfully.

It was so difficult, thinking like a woman. Goku was sure she'd never thought this much about her relationship with Chi-Chi before. Maybe when everything was back to normal, Goku would have to do something really nice for Chi-Chi to show that she, or he understood how much effort she put into their relationship. Goku smiled warmly at the thought. She grimaced as suddenly her stomach rumbled loudly, the vibration intense enough for her to feel with her hand as she placed it over her belly. Goku laughed heartily.

"It seems my brain and my stomach were thinking of the same thing. Time to get home to Chi-Chi and her cooking!" Goku said to herself with a big, excited smile as she flew into the air, traveling home for dinner at an incredible speed, and temporarily forgetting her worries about Vegeta.

* * *

It was finally the day of the usual training session, and Goku sat outside in meditation as Goten ran around the house, chasing small animals. Chi-Chi worked tirelessly around the house, humming happily as she cleaned. Gohan was out for the day, and the household was mostly peaceful and quiet. But as every minute ticked by, Goku felt a window closing. If she stayed here, it was over. Just like before, it was easier this way. At least, that's what she told herself. But if that was true, why couldn't she shake the nagging feeling that she should do something? Her inner turmoil kept building, despite the peaceful setting and meditative state with which Goku surrounded herself.

"Goku, are you okay?" Goku opened her eyes and turned her head towards the soft voice which was a few feet away. There Chi-Chi stood, hanging laundry on a clothesline and looking at Goku with a concerned expression. Goku knit her eyebrows in confusion at the sight of her wife looking at her that way. "You just look…tense." Chi-Chi commented, clarifying her reasoning for the question upon seeing Goku's confounded reaction.

"I do?" Goku asked as her eyes widened in shock. Chi-Chi nodded as she picked up another piece of laundry from the basket, keeping her eyes fixed on Goku.

"Yeah. I thought the point of meditation was _not_ to be tense." Chi-Chi stated as she frowned dubiously. Goku nodded and chuckled in agreement.

"Yeah! That's what it's for!" Goku exclaimed with a big smile as she jumped forward from her seated position, doing a handstand before springing off her hands to land on her feet right in front of Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi laughed at Goku's antics as she resumed smiling through her work, no longer concerned. "I think I'm gonna go hunt for something." Goku said as she stretched and Chi-Chi looked at her, blinking in surprise.

"Aren't you supposed to be training with Vegeta today?" Chi-Chi asked as she lifted a sheet in front of herself, hanging it and forming a curtain between her and Goku. Goku scratched her head with a wary expression.

"Well…we don't really have to." Goku said with a thoughtful frown. "Vegeta wouldn't miss me if I didn't show." Goku said as she pushed the sheet aside to meet Chi-Chi's eyes with a reassuring smile. Chi-Chi smirked knowingly at Goku with a haughty snort.

"You're kidding, right?" Chi-Chi said as she lowered her chin, meeting Goku's eyes pointedly. "Goku, Vegeta waits on that training. Bulma tells me over the phone how much time he spends preparing for these spars with you." Goku's mouth opened in shock as Chi-Chi hung another sheet on the clothesline, then picked up a garment and began folding it. "Just this morning she was telling me that he's been unusually driven this week, and she knows it's because of the training. He still wants to beat you." Chi-Chi added proudly as she smiled at the knowledge that her husband had yet to be beat. Goku gulped nervously. Was Vegeta really waiting for her like that now? After that conversation last week? Nah, he couldn't be.

"Hm." Goku responded, the only thing she could think to say at the moment as she placed her hands on her hips. "I'll be back soon, Chi-Chi!" Goku yelled as she ran into the forest, and Chi-Chi looked up too slowly to catch her leaving.

"Where are you…going?" Chi-Chi asked as she huffed in realization that she wasn't going to get an answer to that question. She shrugged to herself as she resumed her humming with a smile. Whether Goku was training with Vegeta or hunting in the woods, she'd be returning in time for dinner, which was all Chi-Chi needed to worry about.

* * *

Goku returned home with a few dead wolves over her back, smiling widely as she approached and tossed them aside. Gohan stepped outside, grimacing at the ugly, dead creatures as Goku smiled proudly. "Dad! Mom says you need to wash up before you come inside, or no dinner!" Gohan warned her as Goku's eyes widened in alarm.

"Ah! I need to wash up!" Goku agreed urgently as she looked around for a way to do so without going inside.

"I'll see if Mom can get you a clean change of clothes." Gohan offered helpfully as Goku nodded with a worried frown. Gohan ducked into the house, and a few minutes later, emerged with a bag. "Here, Dad. Mom says you can wash in the lake." Gohan suggested as he handed over the bag. Goku accepted it with an unimpressed expression.

"The lake?" She asked with a frown. Then she smiled as it suddenly seemed like a great idea. She hadn't been allowed to swim in the lake since becoming a woman, and she wasn't going to miss this opportunity now! It was dark, and no one should be coming around, so she should have enough privacy. Goku nodded thankfully to Gohan as she ran off towards the lake, and Gohan turned to return to the house.

Goku relaxed as she bathed, though she was too hungry to dawdle. It was nice to have the freedom of swimming like this again, and it did feel nice to wash all the dirt and blood off of her that she had from that hunt. Goku emerged from the lake, dressed, and returned home for dinner. She didn't know why, but she felt disappointed as she sat at the table eating that night. Was it really the right decision to skip the training today? She forced a smile on her face as she chatted with her family for the evening, and as she went to bed that night. But soon after lying down, she realized she just couldn't sleep. She curiously sensed for Vegeta's ki, noticing it seemed relaxed, as if he were asleep already, as she should be. Goku frowned and sighed heavily. Why couldn't she sleep? She turned over to look at Chi-Chi, who was breathing in a relaxed manner as she slept soundly, her black wisps of hair falling across her face. Goku gently pushed back the hair covering Chi-Chi's face as she smiled fondly at her wife. She turned over again, settling into the pillow as she willed herself to relax to sleep.

Shortly after dozing off, Goku found herself waking again, feeling as if she slept maybe a few minutes. She growled with irritation at her predicament. Maybe if she just saw him for a moment, she would be able to relax and move on from this. Goku shrugged to herself, doubtful as to whether seeing him would do her any good. But she had nothing else to do right now while she couldn't sleep, so she concentrated on his ki for the second time that night, instantaneously moving into Vegeta and Bulma's bedroom, and blushing for a moment as the location made her briefly uncomfortable from the memories of the last time she instantly appeared in here. She looked towards the bed, relieved to find two separate bodies beneath the covers, who appeared to be sleeping. She stood over Vegeta, feeling instantly relieved as she absorbed the sight of his relaxed face turned away from her. She knelt beside him, being careful not to wake Vegeta as she watched him sleep.

"Vegeta." She whispered, almost silently, to herself as she sighed in content. She was surprised. This did seem to be helping already. Maybe now she could get some sleep when she returned home. She gasped as Vegeta's head turned toward her, and she tried to be as silent as possible to avoid waking him. After a tense, still moment, she carefully reached her hand up to touch it to her forehead, and inhaled sharply in surprise as her hand was suddenly halted with an iron grasp around it. She looked at Vegeta's face to see his eyes opening and a cunning smirk on his face.

"Couldn't stay away, could you, Kakarot?" Vegeta whispered as Goku gaped at him silently. They stared into each other's eyes as Goku's heart beat furiously in her chest. Her face softened and she relaxed as she relented and Vegeta released her wrist.

"No. I guess I couldn't." Goku admitted with a small smile as Vegeta's expression became smug.

"Sleep well." Vegeta said contently as he turned away from her, returning to his earlier sleeping position, now completely at ease as Goku stood by the bedside. She placed her hands to her forehead, returning next to Chi-Chi and climbing back into her own bed. Now she would sleep well, though the knowledge of what she had just decided still had her uneasy. Even with only a week left until the Dragonballs activated, she had a feeling that things between her and Vegeta might get complicated again.


	30. Running Out Of Time

Both of them knew exactly what would happen when they met for training the next time. They didn't know how far it would go, but it was obvious that fighting wouldn't be the only thing happening between them that day. It did start out as a fight, which was pleasant for both of them. But after exchanging a few punches, the closeness and tension they felt from the moment they saw each other again after that night was too much to ignore. Now, Vegeta wondered if Goku would finally be willing to take things further, though he would wait for her to make the first move this time.

Goku currently lay wrapped in Vegeta's arms on the floor of the gravity chamber, the two of them locking lips as they had been doing for a while now. Goku sighed contentedly as Vegeta's hand trailed down her body and she exposed her neck while Vegeta's mouth moved over it from her lips. She slid both hands up the skin of his bare chest, feeling the muscular curvature of his perfectly sculpted body before reaching her hands to his face, pulling him closer to hers for another kiss. Vegeta moaned into her mouth, just as there was a beep sounded from above, and the screen began descending from the gravity chamber ceiling.

Goku and Vegeta reluctantly pulled apart with groans of disappointment, straightening themselves before the image would appear on the screen. Goku huffed as she settled, sitting on the floor with her legs extended in front of her as she waited for their interrupter to appear on the screen. Vegeta sat with his legs propped in a half-crossed, relaxed position, his hands supporting behind him as he frowned at the screen.

"Are you two done for the day? I want Vegeta to give Trunks his bath before dinner." The blue haired woman stated on the screen, issuing more of a command than a request, judging by her tone. She smiled at Goku for a moment before turning her attention to Vegeta and frowning at him as he silently stared back at her. "Well?" She asked harshly as Goku grimaced at the familiar tone.

"We're done here, Bulma." Goku responded quickly as Vegeta swiftly turned to Goku, frowning angrily at how easily she called it quits. Goku shrugged apologetically.

"Good." Bulma said. "I expect to find you and Trunks in the bathroom in a few minutes, Vegeta." Bulma said with a proud smirk as the video feed cut off and the screen retracted into the ceiling again.

"We're done here?" Vegeta repeated skeptically as he glared at Goku. "_I_ wasn't done. Are you just going to keep teasing me until you turn back into a man and ruin everything, Kakarot?" Vegeta complained bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Vegeta! I just reacted!" Goku apologized as her eyes widened and she glanced towards Capsule Corporation warily. "Bulma makes me nervous!" Vegeta chuckled as he stood from the gravity room floor.

"She should. That woman is strong-willed. And now that you're having an affair with her husband, you better hope that she doesn't find out." Vegeta mocked threateningly as Goku slightly quivered in fear.

"You think she might find out about this?" Goku asked, her eyes widening as if she had never considered that a possibility until this moment.

"Not if you can keep your mouth shut." Vegeta warned as he narrowed his eyes at Goku and collected his clothing from the ground. "_I'm_ certainly not going to say anything about this to her." Goku laughed as she checked her clothing again and Vegeta put his shirt on.

"That's right. Because she scares you, too. You should be more scared than I am. _You're_ the one cheating on her!" Goku laughed loudly as she reached for the gravity chamber door. Vegeta growled irritably at Goku's taunting as he followed her through the door, emerging into the outdoors and seeing Trunks waiting for him at the door of Capsule Corporation.

"What did I just say about keeping your mouth shut?" Vegeta hissed through his teeth as he spoke to Goku, carefully turning away from Trunks. "You better hope you never say something like that when someone can hear you, or I really _will _kill you!" Vegeta threatened as Goku frowned dubiously at him.

"Okay. No need to worry, Vegeta. I know how to keep a secret." Goku said with a wink as she crossed her arms. She briefly waved to Trunks before hovering into the air. "Tell everyone I said bye! I'll see you next time!" She said as she flew for home, smiling all the way back.

* * *

Goku arrived home, landing lightly on her feet as she practically pranced into the house, giving Chi-Chi a quick wave and heading to the bathroom to wash up, as was routine for her now since beginning this training with Vegeta.

"Goku, dinner will be ready in thirty minutes!" Chi-Chi called across the house as Goku swung the bathroom door shut.

"Thanks, Chi-Chi!" Goku called through the door as she turned on the shower and began washing up for dinner. She emerged from the bathroom just in time to find Chi-Chi setting the table, and their sons already sitting and waiting to eat. She smiled widely as she approached her seat, smelling the magnificent spread Chi-Chi had prepared for the night.

"We humbly accept this meal!" The family announced as Chi-Chi sat with them, and they clapped their hands together in unison before digging into the food ravenously.

"You're more hungry than usual today. Worked up an appetite, Dad?" Gohan asked as he observed Goku devouring the food before her at an even faster pace than usual. Goku startled, almost choking on her food at Gohan's question. She pounded on her chest a couple of times as Chi-Chi's eyes widened in alarm, then managed to swallow the lodged food and look at Gohan in relief.

"Yeah. I guess you could say that. Training was great today." Goku said with a genuine smile before reaching for more food.

"What was so different about today?" Chi-Chi asked dubiously as she cocked an eyebrow at Goku's sloppy eating habits and elbowed Goten.

"Today was…" Goku trailed off in confusion, not sure how she could explain to Chi-Chi that today was different.

"Uh, Dad…maybe you should slow down when you're eating." Goten prompted under his mother's harsh glare as Goku continued with her eating while she thought. Goku raised her eyebrows curiously at the comment, then smiled knowingly at Chi-Chi as she swallowed the rest of her food.

"Oh, Chi-Chi. You know I always eat like this." Goku said with a laugh as she dismissed the correction.

"Yes. And this is why I can't take you anywhere to eat in public. I at least want to make sure our sons know how to eat correctly." Chi-Chi huffed as she continued eating with a harsh glare into her plate. Goku continued eating in her typical fashion as Chi-Chi began a conversation with Gohan, letting the behavior slide as usual. Dinner finished while Gohan helped his mother in the kitchen and Goku joined Goten in the living room, preparing to play a game.

Goku and Goten sat on the ground in the living room, playing a game of cards and laughing together as Chi-Chi and Gohan finished cleaning the kitchen. "Can I join in?" Gohan asked from behind Goku as he approached from the kitchen.

"Sure!" Goku said quickly, scooting over to make room on the floor for her son. "Goten, let's deal the cards again to cut Gohan in!" Goku said happily as she pushed the piles of cards on the floor towards Goten.

"Okay!" Goten readily agreed with a wide smile as he gathered the cards together and Gohan sat between them. "What are we going to play?"

"How about...oh Dende!" Gohan exclaimed as Goku and Goten both looked at him with baffled expressions.

"Is that a new game? I'm not familiar with that one." Goku said uneasily as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Me neither, I don't think." Goten chimed in, pursing his lips thoughtfully as he raised his eyes toward the ceiling.

"No! It's not a game!" Gohan tried to explain as he pointed at something past Goten and Goku. "Look!" Goku and Goten's line of vision followed Gohan's pointing finger and they both gasped. On the bookshelf in the dining room where the stone ball was kept, now sat the two-star ball.

"We can summon the dragon now." Goku said distantly as her large eyes focused on the shiny orb.

"Yay! It's the Two-star! I can't wait to tell Trunks! I won the bet!" Goten said happily.

"I bet you can't wait to be back to normal, Dad." Gohan said encouragingly as he patted Goku on the shoulder. Goku raised her eyebrows, staring at the Dragonball.

"...Yeah." She said absently, feeling mixed emotions about the idea now.

* * *

"Oh! Look, Bulma! We have company flying in!" Mrs. Briefs announced cheerily as she shielded her eyes and viewed the three figures flying towards Capsule Corporation. Bulma followed her line of sight and cocked her head thoughtfully as she tried to recognize who was coming from so far away.

She shifted her gaze to the boy that stepped beside her, smiling at the figures and waving.

"Who is it, Trunks?" She asked.

"Goku, Gohan and Goten!" Trunks answered unnecessarily as the figures came into view before he spoke their names.

"Oh. This is a surprise." Bulma said as she stepped forward to greet them.

"I'll make some tea!" Mrs. Briefs said hurriedly as she ran back into the house.

"Hi, Bulma! Hi, Trunks!" The incoming flyers greeted as they landed swiftly in front of the pair and walked up to them.

"Hi!" Trunks yelled.

"What brings you all here?" Bulma asked with a bright smile.

"Bulma! Do we really need to have a reason to come see you?" Gohan said politely with a big smile as Bulma smirked.

"If Goku is with you, yes." She said as she narrowed her eyes at her longtime friend. "The only time Goku bothers to come here is when she needs something or there's a threat to deal with." Bulma looked worried at that comment and looked to Goku with wide eyes. "There's not something dangerous coming, is there?"

"No." Goku said as she smiled with her hands on her hips.

"_This_ is why we're here!" Goten spoke up, extending his hand which held the Two-star ball.

"The Two-star ball!" Bulma gasped.

"See, Trunks!" Goten said gloatingly.

"Yeah, so?" Trunks countered with feigned indifference. Goten's jaw dropped in shock.

"So...I win!" He said with a pout. Trunks crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows at Goten as if he didn't know what he was talking about. "The bet, Trunks! The bet!" He stomped his foot and frowned stubbornly.

"Maybe you win. But I don't remember promising you anything for that." Trunks said coolly, lifting his chin.

"Trunks!" Bulma scolded as the three adults listened to the conversation. "If you promised Goten something, you better deliver on that promise!" Bulma reprimanded as Trunks scoffed in open-mouthed disbelief.

"But, Mom!" He objected.

"Now, Mister!" Bulma said with a harsh glare that had Trunks unable to do anything more than pout.

"Fine." Trunks huffed as he turned to Goten. "Here's a quarter." He said as he reached into his pocket and tossed the coin to Goten.

"All that over a quarter!?" Gohan asked as he and the two women gawked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I don't like giving things away." Trunks answered, frowning with a shrug as Goten jumped for joy, holding his coin in front of him. Goku scratched her head, frowning dubiously at the kids as Bulma scoffed and Gohan groaned at the children.

"You get that from your father." Bulma grumbled as she crossed her arms. Goku and Gohan chuckled. "So, Goku. I guess this means you're here for the Dragon Radar." Bulma said with a knowing smile.

"Right." Goku replied with a firm nod.

"Well, right this way." Bulma said as she gracefully swung her wrist in the right direction and began leading the way into Capsule Corporation. Bulma led the group into her laboratory, opening a few drawers before smiling as she looked into one.

"Aha! Here it is." She said as she pulled out the watch-like device.

"Great! Thanks, Bulma." Goku said as she took it.

"Another Dragonball hunt, huh?" Bulma said nostalgically as she tilted her head and crossed her arms.

"I wanna go!" Goten exclaimed, jumping and raising his hand.

"Me, too!" Trunks said more forcefully as he stepped aside Goten. Goku raised her eyebrows and looked from Gohan to Bulma.

"Sure." She said with a smile and a shrug. "How about you two find the first Dragonball?" Goku suggested as Goten held the Two-star ball and looked at it dubiously. "I mean the second one." Goku corrected as Goten smiled.

"Now hold on a minute!" Bulma said as the boys grabbed the radar and were already running for the door. The two boys stopped, their shoulders raised worriedly before they turned back to face Bulma. "Goku, they're only children! We can't send them out alone to find Dragonballs!"

"Why not?" Goku asked openly as she placed her hands on her hips. "I did it. And they're a lot stronger than I was back then."

"Yeah. Goten and Trunks can take care of themselves." Gohan added. "It's not like they can get lost, or hurt somehow. What's the worst that could happen?" Gohan asked lightly as Goku chuckled in agreement. Bulma growled and glared at them, and Gohan and Goku frowned fearfully.

"They are too young to be traveling the world by themselves!" Bulma said stubbornly as Trunks and Goten began tiptoeing towards the door with Bulma's back to them. "And you two, stop right there!" She said firmly without even having to look. "Goku, Chi-Chi would be very angry with you if she knew you were letting Goten hunt for Dragonballs without some adult supervision." Bulma said slyly, wagging her finger at Goku, who grit her teeth and frowned deeply at the thought.

"Aww, Bulma. Does Chi-Chi really have to know?" Goku asked with a nervous chuckle. Bulma growled angrily and Gohan stepped in, placing a soothing hand on Bulma's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Bulma. I'll go with them." Gohan volunteered as Bulma immediately smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you, Gohan. It's nice to have _someone_ responsible around here." Bulma huffed as she glared again at Goku, who shrugged and rubbed the back of her head with a nervous smile.

"Let's go, guys!" Gohan said, sounding excited about the hunt as well.

"Alright." Trunks muttered disappointedly as he and Goten dragged their feet, to Gohan's surprise. As the boys left, Bulma turned to Goku with a curious expression.

"So, once these balls are collected, you'll finally be back to normal, huh?" Bulma asked.

"Hm? Oh, yeah." Goku said distractedly as she watched where the boys had just left.

"I bet you're going to miss being a woman. It has its benefits, doesn't it?" Bulma asked with a wink and a giggle.

"Uh…I guess so." Goku answered with a dubious shrug. "But I will miss certain things about it." She added with a small smile.

"Don't worry. I imagine with how fast and powerful you all are now, this Dragonball hunt will be over in less than a week, depending how much you're in a hurry." Bulma said supportively as Goku raised her eyebrows. She had collected the balls alone before the Cell games in only a few days. Most likely, a week was a generous amount of time before the balls would be gathered.

"Well, I guess I'll go home. Nothing to do but wait for the boys to come back right now." Goku said with a wave as she began walking away from the room.

"Bye, Goku! Don't make the wish without me, got it?" Bulma said forcefully. Goku looked over her shoulder, giving an obedient nod. Goku left the Capsule Corporation building, standing outside the door as she looked into the sky for a moment before leaving. She didn't notice, at first, the man a few feet away, leaning against the wall with his head down and arms crossed.

"So the boys are searching for Dragonballs." He stated in a low voice as Goku startled and looked at him.

"Yes, Vegeta. We'll be able to make the wish soon." Goku said in a somber tone.

"I thought you'd be thrilled about that." Vegeta said bitingly as Goku frowned at him. Their eyes met, and no words were spoken or moves were made as they stood silently staring at one another. Goku was far from thrilled, though she couldn't deny feeling relieved at the prospect. And it was obvious by the look in Vegeta's eyes, that he didn't want the wish to happen, at least not yet.

"I have to make that wish, Vegeta." Goku admitted sullenly as she turned her head away and flew off into the sky. Vegeta's frown deepened as he stared ahead at nothing in particular. By the end of the day there would be two balls collected already. Their time was running out.


	31. A-Hunting We Will Go

"Hi, Bulma!" Goku exclaimed as she followed a bot into Capsule Corporation. She was flanked by Gohan and Goten as they met the smiling faces of Bulma and Trunks sitting in the living room and the scowling face of Vegeta just joining them. "Hey, Trunks! Hi, Vegeta!" Goku added as she sat herself at the other couch, Goten and Gohan joining her, side by side.

"Hi! What brings you all here so early?" Bulma asked with a pleased smile. "Shouldn't you be out hunting for Dragonballs?" Gohan shuddered in response as Goten and Trunks watched him and chuckled through their teeth in amusement.

"No! I'm done! Someone else can have a turn." Gohan groaned miserably as he hunched forward in his seat.

"I know why Gohan's had enough." Trunks said with an amused smirk.

"I don't want to talk about it!" Gohan exclaimed as his cheeks reddened and he glared warningly at Trunks.

"The Dragonball we found yesterday was in a pile of dinosaur poop!" Goten exclaimed with a loud laugh.

"Goten!" Gohan exclaimed angrily as he clenched his fists and teeth.

"I hope you washed it." Bulma responded as she raised her eyebrows and grimaced at the disgusting news.

"Yeah. I spent the rest of the day washing it...and myself." Gohan said with a miserable expression as Goku began laughing wildly and holding her stomach.

"So that's why you stink!" Goku exclaimed, pointing at Gohan.

"Dad!" Gohan yelled in embarrassment as Goten and Trunks laughed loudly.

"It was a huge pile of poop, too." Trunks added, smiling through his teeth at Gohan's discomfort.

"What do you mean 'Gohan stinks'? I don't smell anything." Bulma said with a disconcerted frown.

"Just one more way you humans are inferior to us Saiyans. He _does_ stink." Vegeta sneered at Gohan, clearly repulsed by the smell. "Why don't you go home and wash that off so we don't have to smell it?"

"Aww, this just won't go away!" Gohan whined as he stood from the couch and headed for the door.

"Try bathing in tomato sauce, Gohan. That gets rid of all kinds of odors." Bulma suggested. "I wouldn't worry about it anyways. As long as you're not around anymore full-blooded Saiyans or _dogs_, you don't stink." Bulma said reassuringly as she rolled her eyes and Vegeta growled irritably at being compared to a dog.

"Thanks, Bulma. I'll give that a try. Good luck hunting for the Dragonballs!" Gohan called as he left in a hurry.

"So, Vegeta." Goku said as everyone watched Gohan leave. "I thought you might want to search for the next Dragonball with us today." She said in an inviting tone.

"No." Vegeta responded very quickly.

"But, Vegeta! You've never searched for the Dragonballs before. It'll be fun." Goku said encouragingly as Bulma and the children looked on curiously for Vegeta's answer.

"Right." Vegeta scoffed. "It sounds like a blast." He said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at Goku. "Besides, I searched for Dragonballs on Namek. Nothing was fun about it." Vegeta grumbled crossly. Goku opened her mouth and hesitated to speak, surprised at Vegeta's admission.

"Well, I didn't know you searched for them there." She admitted as she rubbed the back of her neck. "But on Earth, it's a lot more fun. That stuff that happened to Gohan yesterday never happened to us before." She said persuasively, though Vegeta wasn't budging on his answer.

"She's right." Bulma said, standing with determination. "I want to get in on this today, since you're being such a stick-in-the-mud, Vegeta." Bulma said smugly, approaching Goku. "Goku, the Dragon Radar, please?" Bulma asked as she stretched out her hand to receive it. Goku frowned and handed it to Bulma.

"Okay. But I could have held it, Bulma." Goku said as she stood from the couch to join Bulma.

"How could you do that when you're not coming?" Bulma asked, smiling slyly at Goku.

"What?" Goku asked cluelessly as she tilted her head at Bulma.

"Come on, Trunks. It's me and you today." Bulma said as she tapped Trunks on the shoulder and headed towards the door, already pulling out her Capsule pack.

"Why?" Trunks asked without taking a step to follow Bulma. Bulma turned around and crossed her arms, huffing at Trunks.

"You train and do Super Saiyan stuff with your father all the time! Now it's my turn to bond with you. You get to see what your mother has been the best at since she was a young girl." Bulma said as she arrogantly fluffed her hair. "Aren't you excited?" Trunks cocked an eyebrow dubiously as Goku leaned to whisper to the boy.

"I'm pretty sure Bulma's not the best Dragonball hunter, but you might want to let her think she is." Goku advised with a wink.

"Goku! What are you telling my son?" Bulma asked with a harsh glare as Goku warily backed away from the boy and held her hands up defensively.

"N-nothing, Bulma!" Goku said with a forced smile. Trunks walked to follow Bulma, and glanced over his shoulder, looking at Goku before speaking.

"She said you're not good at finding Dragonballs." Trunks said to Bulma with a smirk as Goku gasped in disbelief and Bulma growled angrily.

"What? Goku!" Bulma yelled, glaring at Goku. Trunks chuckled as he pulled Bulma's hand into his and continued walking through the doorway.

"Come on, Mom." Trunks said with a chuckle as Goku sighed in relief at watching them leave.

"That's the last time I try to help Trunks." Goku said as she crossed her arms and pouted. She turned her head towards Vegeta, tilting it thoughtfully. "He's just like you, Vegeta." Vegeta humphed and turned his head away from Goku, crossing his arms as Mrs. Briefs walked into the room, carrying a tray with a pitcher of lemonade and cups.

"Here! I brought enough for everyone!" Mrs. Briefs said in a sing-song voice as she placed the tray on the table. When she finally opened her eyes, she gasped when she realized most of the people had left already. "Oh my! Where did everyone go?" She asked as she began pouring drinks.

"They're hunting for the Dragonballs!" Goten exclaimed cheerily.

"Oh, that's nice!" Mrs. Briefs said as she handed Goten the lemonade. "Here you go, sweetie." She said before leaving the room with the empty tray. Goten gulped the drink and made a sour face as Vegeta's eyes widened at the sight. Goku took a cup, oblivious to Goten's reaction as she sipped it herself, making the same face. Vegeta snatched Goten's cup from him, downing the rest quickly and inhaling sharply after the fast downing of that drink. Goku took another sip with a thoughtful expression as she tasted it, and then her eyes widened in realization.

"This is Mrs. Briefs' _special_ lemonade!" Goku exclaimed in disbelief.

"That woman is insane!" Vegeta growled angrily as he crushed the paper cup in his hand. Vegeta looked at Goten, who was practically turning green. "Special lemonade." He said derisively. "You might want to get him home, Kakarot." Vegeta said to Goku, nodding his head towards Goten. Goku raised her eyebrows at Vegeta before looking at Goten with a concerned expression. He certainly didn't look good.

"I wonder what's wrong with him." She said as she bent down to get a closer look at Goten.

"Nothin's wrong, Mom." Goten said giddily to Goku as he leaned too far to the right and had to catch his balance.

"That drink is not meant for seven-year-olds is what is wrong." Vegeta grumbled as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh!" Goku said as she rubbed her head warily and stood up. "Goten, it's time for you to take a little nap." Goku said with an amused smile as she scooped Goten into her arms and the boy was already getting drowsy. "That stuff's powerful, isn't it?" She asked as she looked at Vegeta, who was finishing a second cup and hurriedly nodded in agreement upon hearing the question. "Okay. Let's go." Goku said as she narrowed her eyes, concentrating on Chi-Chi and disappearing from sight. Vegeta sighed in relief once he was alone. He looked around the empty living room and plopped onto the couch where Goku and her sons had been sitting earlier. He groaned with a deep frown as he stood back up.

"Great. He even rubbed that stink on the couch." Vegeta said as he sneered with disgust at the smell that his sensitive nose was picking up. Vegeta plopped on the other couch, relaxing for a quite a while and almost dozing off when he heard an obnoxiously cheerful voice addressing him.

"Vegeta! Wanna train?" Vegeta tilted his chin up, looking past the arm of the couch to the woman who stood over him next to the piece of furniture.

"I thought you went home." Vegeta said with a sigh as he relaxed his neck and closed his eyes again.

"Yeah, but Chi-Chi's angry at me for letting Goten drink that stuff." Goku answered with a guilty chuckle. "So she told me to get out for a while." Vegeta continued laying, looking like he was asleep. "Come on! Wake up, Vegeta!" Goku called as she bent over him, her face hovering just inches from his when he opened his eyes. Vegeta yelled in surprise at her closeness and Goku screamed as well, jumping back from him.

"Dammit, Kakarot!" Vegeta growled as he slapped the couch and sat up irritably.

"Sorry, Vegeta." Goku said with a big, guilty smile as Vegeta reluctantly stood from the couch. "Does this mean we can train now?"

"Why not? It's not like I can get any sleep with you around." Vegeta said as he crossed his arms tightly and walked towards the gravity chamber. Goku followed for a few steps, then stopped and looked at Vegeta in confusion.

"Uh, Vegeta. You're not going to the gravity chamber in that, are you?" Goku questioned as she eyed the button front shirt and trousers Vegeta was wearing.

"It doesn't matter what I'm wearing. We both know the real reason you asked me to train with you." Vegeta said as Goku caught up to him, stuttering at a loss as he smiled at her slyly. Vegeta took a few more steps and reached the gravity room door, swinging it open and maintaining his sly smile. "After you." He said as Goku slowly stepped past him into the room with a sly smile of her own. Vegeta entered the gravity chamber and closed the door, being abruptly pinned against the wall as it shut. He chuckled as Goku's lips met his and the hard clang against the metal wall crunched at his back.

"I like a woman that can pound me into a wall." Vegeta said as Goku smirked at him and began kissing his neck. Vegeta moaned at the pleasant sensation of her mouth on his neck and rubbed his hands down Goku's curves, causing her to writhe her body against his in response. "Mmm. I'd like it even more if it was _me_ pounding _you_ into the wall." Vegeta said huskily as he thrust his hips against Goku's, causing her to moan at the sensation of his erection rubbing between her legs. Goku panted breathily, torn between fear and desire before Vegeta planted his lips against hers again. They closed their eyes as they kissed with their tongues sliding together, until Vegeta suddenly turned things around, forcing Goku against the wall as her eyes shot open with the loud thud of the wall. Vegeta reached his hand under Goku's shirt, sighing in satisfaction as he felt the bare skin of her fleshy mound beneath his hand.

"Ve...ge...ta..." Goku groaned as she ran her hand down his sides, sliding them around to his backside and shivering in anticipation as she groped him. Vegeta thrust his hips beneath Goku's and grabbed her thighs supportively, using the wall to hoist Goku.

"Kakarot..." Vegeta replied breathily into her ear as he caressed her thighs and rear, which was cradled in his hands.

"I...don't want to change things between us, Vegeta." Goku warned carefully with a permissive nod as Vegeta wordlessly agreed by wasting no time removing her shirt. Goku moaned as Vegeta kissed her again.

'_Goku!' _

Goku froze with her lips on Vegetas as her eyes shot open in alarm at the familiar voice in her head while Vegeta continued his ministrations. Goku pulled her lips away and panted breathily as she struggled to utter a response and she lightly slapped Vegeta's hand off her breast.

"K-King Kai!" Goku yelled nervously as Vegeta pulled back and gave her a disbelieving look.

"King Kai?" Vegeta repeated irritably as he scrutinized Goku's expression.

'_I'm not interrupting something, am I?' _King Kai asked warily in response to Goku's stuttering and breathy reply.

"N-no!" Goku exclaimed as she tried to communicate to Vegeta with a look and slide loose from his grip.

'_Really? Because you sound out of breath.'_ King Kai claimed dubiously.

"I was just...training..." Goku met Vegeta's eyes as he realized she was communicating with someone else. "...with Vegeta." Goku said unconvincingly as Vegeta released her with a scowl and clapped his hand over his face.

'_Oh! Vegeta's there? I'll tell him, too then.'_

"Tell us what, King Kai?" Goku asked, looking up and knitting her eyebrows with concern as Vegeta tossed her the forgotten shirt from the floor and groaned, sitting on the floor with a scowl.

'_The Dragonballs are activated! You can make your wish, Goku.'_ King Kai announced as Goku and Vegeta looked at each other with exasperated sighs.

"We already know that!" Vegeta growled impatiently. "Is that all you wanted?" He added dismissively.

'_It's a good thing you're not a doctor, Vegeta. You'd lose all your patience before you treated anyone!'_ King Kai responded with a snorting laugh as Vegeta growled irately and stood up. _'Oh, but there's more!'_ King Kai added as soon as he finished laughing. _'Someone else is collecting the Dragonballs. You better make sure to protect the ones you have, and collect the others soon if you want to get your wish!'_ King Kai advised as Goku and Vegeta looked at each other in alarm.

"Someone else? Who else would be after the Dragonballs?" Goku asked thoughtfully as she rubbed her chin.

'_I'm not sure. But from what I saw today, I think your friend, Bulma knows them.'_ King Kai said with a curious tone. _'You can come here and take a look yourself if you want, Goku.'_ King Kai offered as Goku grimaced and shook her head at the thought.

"N-no! That's okay, King Kai. We'll just ask Bulma about it when she gets back." Goku said as Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Why wouldn't we go up there, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked. "What if Bulma was in trouble?"

'_Bulma's fine. She's on her way back to you now. I'll keep an eye on things from up here.'_ King Kai volunteered as Goku frowned unhappily at the suggestion.

"That's alright, King Kai. We can handle things on our own down here. No one on this planet has a better chance of collecting all of the Dragonballs than us." Goku said confidently as King Kai grunted in agreement. "But thanks for letting us know." She added in a friendly tone.

"Yeah. Thanks a lot." Vegeta huffed resentfully as he crossed his arms and headed for the gravity chamber door.

"Where are you going, Vegeta?" Goku asked disappointedly as Vegeta opened the door to the gravity chamber.

"King Kai just said that Bulma's on her way back. We're done here." Goku quickly grasped Vegeta's arm with a frightful grimace.

"Wait! I can't go home without looking like I was training!" Goku said, her eyes wide in fear. Vegeta chuckled as he shook free from her grasp.

"Just tell your wife that you had more of Mrs. Briefs' lemonade. I'm sure that'll keep you out of trouble." Vegeta stated with amusement as Goku frowned at the thought. Either way, she'd be in trouble.

"That's no good, Vegeta!" Goku yelled as she followed Vegeta out of the gravity chamber. "Just hit me!" She yelled, smiling brightly at the idea. Vegeta raised his eyebrow dubiously at her. "Then at least she'll see that we were hitting each other!" Vegeta shook his head and frowned disbelievingly at Goku.

"How does it make it look like we were hitting each other if you're the only-" Vegeta was cut off harshly as Goku punched him in the jaw, her fist seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

"Why, you!" Vegeta growled furiously as he stumbled and recovered from the hit. "You want to make it look like we were hitting each other? I'll make sure Chi-Chi sees every single mark on you!" Vegeta yelled furiously as he launched a series of attacks at an off-guard, screaming Goku. The two powered up to Super Saiyans, engaging in a heated fight and oblivious to the landing Capsule Corporation plane just feet away from them.

"Hello!" A pair of voices called from the vehicle, finally drawing Vegeta and Goku's attention from their fight. Bulma stepped out proudly as Trunks followed with a pair of Dragonballs in his hands. "I'm glad to see you two kept yourselves entertained today." Bulma commented in amusement as she observed the beaten states of Goku and Vegeta that looked like they had been fighting for hours. Goku raised her eyebrows in surprise as she looked at Vegeta and laughed with satisfaction.

"Look what we found!" Trunks announced as he proudly held out the two newly acquired Dragonballs, the Three-star and the Seven-star.

"And you'll never believe who we ran into today, Goku." Bulma added with a laugh as she turned towards the plane, enclosing it back inside its capsule. "Come on inside! I'll tell you all about it!" She said as she pocketed the Capsule pack and waved the group on. Goku leaned into Vegeta as they followed the other two.

"Come on, Vegeta. You've gotta come with me to find the other Dragonballs tomorrow." Goku pleaded quietly. Vegeta glanced over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows curiously at her.

"You think you know who's after the Dragonballs?" Vegeta asked interestedly.

"Mayyyybe." Goku said with a smirk. "But I promise if you come, you won't be disappointed." Vegeta thought to himself with a frown as they walked. Even if the Dragonball hunt was lackluster, there was plenty more this trip offered that could make it worth his while. Vegeta smirked at Goku, nodding in acceptance.


	32. You Get Some

A/N: As usual, lemony stuff is marked with** !** before and after so you can skip it if you choose to.

"That woman that's always following him around did not age well." Bulma commented as she sipped her drink, sitting around the table with an attentive audience as Trunks curiously studied the Dragonballs on the table next to her. "I mean, I know she has to be older than me, but there's no way I'd look that old in a few years." Bulma added arrogantly.

"Are you sure about that, Bulma? You _are_ starting to-" Goku commented honestly, immediately being cut off by a slap to the back of the head. "Ow!" She cried as she held her head protectively and frowned at Bulma.

"Anyways, it seems Emperor Pilaf is still after his wish after all these years." Bulma added as she addressed everyone else again and took another sip.

"So this guy wants world domination?" Trunks asked skeptically. "Why don't _we_ wish for that?" He mused curiously as Vegeta huffed in agreement.

"Because we're already the most powerful people on the planet, and we don't want that." Goku answered nonchalantly as Bulma nodded in agreement.

"Besides, if I could wish for anything I want, it would be to retain my youthful looks." Bulma said with a faraway look. "I can't stand how Vegeta hardly ages. How will we look as a couple a few years from now?" Bulma lamented.

"Ah! So you _are_ worried about your age!" Goku replied with a big smile, immediately covering her head before Bulma could hit her again. Bulma glared harshly at Goku as Trunks picked up the Seven-star ball and turned it in his hands curiously.

"I don't think that Pilaf guy knows who we are, though." Trunks said, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"No." Bulma agreed. "We caught sight of them approaching the Three-star ball before we got to it. Trunks zoomed in and took it so fast, I don't think they even saw him." Bulma laughed at the memory. "You should have seen their faces! They had no idea what happened! They are sorely outmatched this time!" Bulma said smugly with a determined expression.

"Well, I'm not worried." Goku commented as she casually leaned back in her chair and placed both hands behind her head. "We'll just finish collecting the rest of the balls tomorrow."

"Alright!" Bulma agreed with a bright smile. "We can't waste any time making the wish once all seven balls are together. I have a party to plan!" She said with determination as she stood from her seat and the others gawked at her in disbelief.

"A party?" Goku asked skeptically as she lowered her hands by her sides.

"Yes. I want everyone to be here when we summon Shenron. What better way to do that than to make a party of it?" Bulma said with a smirk as she placed her hands on her hips.

"You'll find any excuse you can to throw a party, won't you?" Vegeta commented dryly as Bulma opened her mouth and looked at him in disbelief.

"As opposed to _you people_ who prefer to only see each other when your lives are in danger?!" Bulma retorted angrily.

"That's not true, Bulma. Vegeta agreed to hunt for the Dragonballs with me tomorrow." Goku announced with a smile. Bulma's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"He did?" She asked skeptically as she looked at Vegeta, who frowned with a curt nod. "I can't imagine how you talked him into that one, Goku." Bulma commented as she crossed her arms and shook her head. "Alright! I don't have much time. Goku, tell your family for me about the party here tomorrow night, okay?" Goku nodded in agreement as Bulma hurried off to set to work.

"I better get home and do that." Goku said to Vegeta and Trunks as she stood from the table. She turned to Vegeta, smirking as she placed two fingers to her forehead. "Sleep well, Vegeta. We have a big day planned tomorrow." She said as Vegeta smirked back and she disappeared from sight. Vegeta turned to Trunks, taking the Dragonball from his hand.

"Bedtime, Trunks." Vegeta said sternly as Trunks pursed his lips in disagreement, but obediently retreated towards the stairs.

* * *

A methodical beep sounded as Goku focused on the grid line-like screen in her hand. She clicked the device a few times, focusing in on the location of a particular Dragonball and sighing with determination once she decided where it was. "Come on, Vegeta. It's this way!" Goku said as she pointed in the correct direction with her eyes still on the screen. She looked over her shoulder, finding Vegeta was standing far from her with his back turned to her and seemingly incredibly bored.

"How many of these are we supposed to be finding, Kakarot?" Vegeta grumbled in the bored tone Goku was expecting to hear as she huffed in disappointment at his lack of cooperation.

"Look. We're finishing the hunt today. There are only two more left!" Goku said as she held the Six-star ball they had already retrieved earlier in the day. She had to admit that one was uneventful to find, just sitting in an antique store window where they bought and paid for it. "These other two should be more interesting." Goku said confidently as she lifted into the air, ready to speed ahead until she realized Vegeta was not following.

"Then why don't I look for one and you look for the other, and we can be done with this?" Vegeta suggested dryly as he turned to look at Goku. Goku frowned disappointedly as she watched Vegeta. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Vegeta, we really should do this together. What fun is it if you're alone?" Goku asked as she caught movement on the screen of the radar out of the corner of her eye. She smirked as she looked at Vegeta again. "Besides, we're more likely to run into Pilaf and his gang this way."

"Pilaf? The ones Bulma and Trunks saw yesterday?" Vegeta asked with raised interest as he stepped closer to Goku, recalling yesterday's conversation with Bulma.

"Yeah. One of the balls is moving. I bet they have it!" Goku said with excitement in her voice.

"And these people are decent opponents?" Vegeta asked with a skeptical look.

"Formidable. Pilaf can be terrifying, Vegeta. Let's go!" Goku said pushily as Vegeta frowned dubiously but followed Goku anyways. Goku smiled victoriously as she led the way to the ball that was not moving, hoping it would be her favorite Dragonball. She lowered to the ground as they neared the blip on the radar and Vegeta followed. The location was a forest, a very peaceful looking area with a lake and waterfall and scurrying, chirping wildlife.

"This place is nice!" Goku commented with a large smile as she landed on her feet by the water's edge.

"We're not here for sightseeing, Kakarot! Where is the damn ball?" Vegeta complained grumpily. Goku frowned and focused on the radar, walking towards its location as she noticed a splash and her shoes becoming wet. She stopped abruptly and frowned towards the water.

"It must be under the water." She decided as she placed the radar on the ground. Vegeta raised his eyebrows as Goku removed her shoes.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

"Going after it, of course." Goku responded matter-of-factly as she removed her t-shirt. Vegeta frowned as he watched her with a heavy sigh. Goku finished removing her clothes and placed them aside in a dry spot with her bag and the Dragonball as she dove into the water in her bra and panties. Vegeta tapped his finger against his bicep as he became impatient with the wait and Goku swam to the bottom of the small lake. Looking into the water, Vegeta's eyes widened in alarm. He caught sight of a huge fish approaching Goku from behind, which she seemed completely unaware of as she searched the bottom for the Dragonball.

As the fish opened its mouth wide, Vegeta grit his teeth and dove in the water after it. Goku's eyes landed on the Four-star ball and she reached for it just as Vegeta was diving in. She startled at the water's disturbance caused by his fast movement. She spun around just as she grasped her hand around the ball, to see the inside of the huge open mouth of the fish approaching her. It was suddenly knocked aside as Vegeta kicked into the fish with two feet before grabbing Goku's free hand and pulling her to the surface with him.

"That was close!" Goku exclaimed as they broke through the water's surface and she tossed the found ball to join the other. Vegeta didn't respond and Goku turned to face him, surprised by the way he was looking at her. Goku blushed when she looked down and realized that her wet undergarments had become transparent in the water, and Vegeta was getting an eyeful of her. Vegeta's hand lightly cupped Goku's cheek and she looked back at him just as his lips clashed with hers. The kiss was long and deep as their lips massaged one another's. They kissed again and panted excitedly as their bodies grazed against each other in the subtle movements of their swimming to hover at the water's surface. Goku ripped Vegeta's shirt, needing to feel his skin against hers as she pulled him against her. They continued kissing more deeply, with intent as Vegeta grabbed the top of his pants, pulling them down from the waist and shimmying his boots off as his pants came with them. Goku lightly bit at Vegeta's lip as he removed her bra and caressed her back once she was free of it. The sensations of their skin touching this way in the water was addicting. But it still wasn't enough. As Goku began wiggling free of her panties, three concealed heads popped up from behind a nearby bush, eyeing a device of their own.

* * *

"Emperor Pilaf, two Dragonballs should be right over there." A wrinkled and haggard looking Mai said as she pointed in the direction of the pile.

"Strange." Shu commented before Pilaf made his move. "They moved earlier. But there's no one here."

"Who cares? You two stay here and keep an eye on me while I snatch them." Pilaf ordered as he slowly made a move towards the balls. Shu and Mai obediently ducked behind the bush as they carefully watched Pilaf tiptoe cautiously towards the pile. Pilaf's eyes lit up triumphantly as he grabbed the two balls, securing them beneath his arms. "I have them!" He pronounced victoriously as Shu and Mai frowned dubiously at one another.

"Yeah. Three of them." Mai grumbled to Shu.

"He still needs another four if we're ever going to make that wish for world domination." Shu added under his breath. Pilaf smirked evilly as he carefully began tiptoeing away with the balls, until he startled at the sound of a woman's voice. He looked over his shoulder curiously.

"What is that?" Pilaf wondered aloud as Shu and Mai cocked their heads curiously at his odd change in direction. Pilaf pushed aside a leafy tree branch as he glanced in the direction of a loud moan. His jaw and the Dragonballs dropped when he saw what was happening on the bank of the opposite side of the lake. He began hyperventilating as Shu and Mai became alarmed at his stunned demeanor.

"Emperor Pilaf!" Mai cried as she hurried to him, groaning along with Shu as they caressed their aching backs from the stooped position they held behind the bush for too long.

"What is it, Emperor?" Shu asked as he carefully studied Pilaf's face and tried to help him regain his footing. Pilaf shook his head frantically, his lip trembling as he pointed to where he had just looked and Mai moved in to investigate.

"P-perverts!" He blurted with a devastated expression. "My innocent eyes will never be the same!" He cried as he fell back in Shu's arms and Mai's eyes widened at the same sight Pilaf had seen. She turned around with a bright blush on her cheeks.

"Oh my!" She cried as she clasped her hands over her eyes. Another moan issued, and the trio hastily retreated with hushed squeaks, the two henchmen carrying their faint leader as they made their escape.

* * *

On the other side of the riverbank, Goku and Vegeta were laid together naked, lightly exploring each other's bodies with their hands while their kisses deepened. Vegeta positioned himself above Goku, between her legs.

"Ready, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked quietly as he looked into Goku's eyes.

**!**

"Yes. Just do it now before I change my-Aaah!" Goku screamed at the unexpected pain as Vegeta suddenly thrust into her and she glared at him.

"Damn, Vegeta! You could have given me more warning!" Goku yelled, immediately following the outburst with a sigh as she let her head fall back while Vegeta stilled inside her, giving her a moment to accommodate him.

"Sorry. Didn't want to give you the chance to back out." Vegeta said with a smirk before his eyes rolled back at the pleasant sensation of being inside her.

"You don't mean…that." Goku challenged breathily as Vegeta kissed her neck.

"Shut up. Like you should talk." Vegeta said with a small smile as he pulled his lips away from Goku, and she smiled back at him. Vegeta slowly pulled out of Goku and thrust back into her slowly, both of them moaning at the sensation as Goku wrapped her legs around Vegeta's waist.

"Ugh!" Goku cried out as Vegeta thrust deeper, and she ground her hips into him, wanting more of the fulfilling sensation. Vegeta groaned contentedly as he picked up the pace, thrusting deeper and faster until Goku cried out in ecstasy, running her nails down Vegeta's back as he continued thrusting and she writhed beneath him. Vegeta clenched his teeth and closed his eyes tightly as he felt his control slipping as Goku's body repeatedly tightened and clenched around him.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta cried out as he thrust into her hard, and Goku cried out as well as she felt him come to completion inside her. With a few gentle thrusts, they rode out the finish together, and Vegeta collapsed on Goku as they panted breathily. Goku sighed contently as she closed her eyes and allowed her head to fall back, and her legs to slide to the ground on either side of Vegeta. "Ugh. Kakarot, that was…" Vegeta trailed off with a heavy sigh.

"Fantastic." Goku said, her eyes remaining closed as she smiled. Vegeta nodded in agreement, then propped himself up, looking at Goku carefully for a moment. He pulled out of her and sat beside her as Goku sat herself up and faced him with a concerned expression. "Is something wrong?" Vegeta stared into the water without answering, but Goku knew he heard her. Finally, when she was about to ask again, he spoke.

**!**

"You don't feel guilty about this?" Vegeta asked dubiously as his sight remained fixed on the water.

"Guilty?" Goku asked as she fixed her gaze on the same spot Vegeta had been staring at. "No! Chi-Chi said she'd kill me if I ever touched another woman." Goku looked at Vegeta with a cheesy smile. "You're not a woman, so I didn't do anything wrong!" Vegeta sighed heavily and shook his head in disbelief.

"I'll never understand how your mind works." Vegeta turned his head to face Goku with a solemn expression. "But what about Bulma?"

"Bulma?" Goku asked thoughtfully. "Hey! She cheated on Yamcha when she got together with you, didn't she? So she'd understand!" Goku said, smiling as if she had just solved a problem. Vegeta growled and stood up with his fists clenched towards Goku.

"Bulma will not understand, because she is never going to know about this! Got it?!" Vegeta demanded furiously as Goku's eyes widened in surprise.

"Okay." Goku answered quietly with a slight pout as she cast her eyes upward to meet Vegeta's eyes where he stood above her. Vegeta's demeanor immediately softened as he sighed in relief. He turned around as if searching for something, then huffed in frustration and reluctantly dove into the water.

Goku sighed in content as she looked around the scenic forest, enjoying the freedom of being naked in the open again. When Vegeta emerged from the water with the articles of their clothing he had retrieved, Goku met him to claim hers and flew to her pile of dry clothing she had left. She slipped on her undergarments and used her ki to dry it while Vegeta continued dressing into his wet clothes on the other side of the water. Goku looked down at her pile of dry clothing, slipping on her jeans as she contorted her eyebrows in confusion. She searched the ground as she noticed the Dragonballs were no longer where she left them. She almost became alarmed, until she picked up the Dragon Radar and found the two blips practically on top of her. Goku finished dressing and retrieved the two Dragonballs Pilaf had dropped in shock, holding them up to Vegeta as he stood on the other side of the water, flaring his ki to dry himself.

"Vegeta! The Dragonballs moved while we were…" Goku tilted her head and blushed, "…you know." Vegeta raised his eyebrows in surprise as he looked at Goku, then smirked.

"I guess we really did make the Earth move." Vegeta said arrogantly as he flew across the water to meet Goku.

"But how did they get all the way over here?" Goku asked curiously as she looked from their original location to where she found them, the path separated by large rocks and their initial location at a lower elevation than where they ended up. Vegeta looked perplexed for a moment as he studied the ground, but quickly shrugged it off.

"Doesn't matter. We have them, and there's only one left now, right? Let's find it before we end up late to this party of Bulma's." Vegeta decided as Goku nodded with determination and immediately focused on finding the One-star Dragonball.


	33. You Lose Some

"I can't believe you dropped the Dragonballs!" Pilaf yelled as he struck Shu in the head.

"But, Sire! You were the one who dropped them!" Shu defended himself in a shaky voice. Pilaf's mouth dropped with a speechless frown as his brows contorted in confusion.

"Maybe so!" He admitted, holding up a finger pointedly. "But if I drop something, it is your job to pick it up!" He yelled with a maniacal glare as Mai and Shu frowned at each other helplessly.

"Sire, I have an idea." Mai proposed, stepping forward and wringing her hands together nervously. Pilaf turned to her, raising his eyebrows in interest as he stood poised with his hands behind his back.

"Oh? What do you propose we do?" Pilaf asked as he stepped towards Mai in a show of intimidation.

Mai held their radar towards Pilaf. "We have one Dragonball, those two we just lost are moving together, and the rest are all gathered in one place. See?" She asked as Pilaf inspected it curiously and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Yes. So?" He asked, sounding unimpressed.

"I think those two…_deviants_ we just saw are the same people who have the other balls." Mai said with a grimace and a shiver at the replaying image in her head. "So the only ball they still need is ours. If we leave our Dragonball as bait, they will lead us to the rest and we can snatch all seven Dragonballs from them to make our wish!" Mai said with a big smile as Shu smiled widely and nodded adamantly in agreement.

"Mai, that's a great idea!" Shu praised as Mai smiled at him in appreciation.

"But if we let them take our Dragonball, they'll have all seven!" Pilaf complained irately. "They can make the wish before we do!" Pilaf added as he jumped and waved his arms at his henchmen.

"Sire, if we follow them, we can make sure they don't summon the dragon." Shu suggested.

"He's right! I think we can do it, Emperor Pilaf!" Mai said dutifully as she pounded a fist into her open palm with determination. Pilaf rubbed his chin thoughtfully, giving a nod to the others.

"Fine. Let's leave this ball right here." Pilaf decided as he set down his One-star ball and removed his Capsule pack from his pocket. "Ah! This will work! He decided as he selected a capsule and threw it to the ground. It expanded with a poof of smoke, revealing a high-tech yellow airplane. "Cover this up so they don't see it!" Pilaf demanded to the other two, who hurriedly set to work covering the plane in bushes and twigs, making shoddy work of the coverup as many portions of the plane were still visible. "Good enough! Now get inside and we wait!" Pilaf demanded as Mai and Shu shrugged at each other dubiously. "What's the problem?" Pilaf complained.

"Well, we just completely covered it. How are we supposed to get inside?" Shu asked as Pilaf fell over comically in disbelief. After removing the coverings, entering the plane, and carefully replacing the coverings from inside the cockpit, the three waited in front of their Dragonball, watching for the arrival of the other two collectors, who were rapidly approaching, judging by the screen on their radar.

"Here they come! Be quiet!" Mai insisted as she pocketed the radar and focused her sight ahead towards the Dragonball. They sighted two people amazingly descending rapidly from the sky and landing a few feet in front of them. Mai and Pilaf blushed in recognition of the people as they fought to keep their eyes planted and ready to take off at any moment. Suddenly, their eyes became wider and the three frowned fearfully.

"Not again!" Pilaf groaned as quietly as he could manage as he ducked beneath the dashboard. "Shu! You keep an eye on them!" Pilaf ordered as Shu's knees quaked and he addressed Pilaf in a trembling voice.

"But why me? Emperor Pilaf! They're…_kissing_!" Shu said, sounding frightened as he looked away.

"Don't you dare let those two out of your sight!" Pilaf threatened from his hunched position below the dashboard. Shu reluctantly returned his view to the front.

"And be prepared, Shu. It's going to get worse." Mai added ominously from her position next to Pilaf. Shu opened his mouth and covered it in a silent scream, freezing catatonically at the sight before him as Mai and Pilaf exchanged worried frowns.

* * *

"Ahhhh…that almost makes me want to forget about the wish." Goku said with a sly smile as she pulled her t-shirt over her head and glanced over her shoulder at Vegeta's smirk. "Almost." She added pointedly as she stood from the grassy field where they had just found the One-star ball.

"It's too bad, Kakarot. Making the wish so soon when we were just getting started." Vegeta said as he stepped back into his pants.

"Oh, yeah! Are we going to be late for the party?" Goku asked worriedly as Vegeta's comment reminded her of the event. "What time is it?" She asked as the pair finished dressing and collected the final three Dragonballs into the bag Goku carried for the trip.

"Five o'clock." Goku heard from a distant, shaky voice as she startled and looked over her shoulder.

"Did you hear something?" Goku asked Vegeta, who seemed distracted and startled at her address.

"Huh? No, I didn't hear anything. Let's get out of here." Vegeta said, taking off as Goku contorted her eyebrows dubiously at the yellow metallic surface peeking through the tree branches nearby. Goku shrugged and launched into the air after Vegeta.

* * *

"So…" Goku trailed off uncomfortably as they flew while Vegeta remained awkwardly silent.

"Do we have to talk?" Vegeta complained as he looked at Goku. "I don't want to talk about it." Goku frowned uneasily and sighed with frustration as they continued their flight in silence. The pair landed at Capsule Corporation, unaware of the plane that had been covertly tailing their trail at a lower elevation under the cover of trees, slightly hanging back to remain undetected.

"Do you have the rest of the Dragonballs?" Trunks and Goten asked as they ran excitedly to meet Goku and Vegeta right after their landing.

"Sure do!" Goku said with a big smile as she swung the bag off her shoulder and opened it to show the contents to the two boys.

"Alright! I can't wait to see Shenron!" Trunks exclaimed.

"Me too. Me too!" Goten said with a giddy laugh. The group walked into Capsule Corporation together where a lot of commotion was happening in preparations of the party.

"Goku! Vegeta! You're back!" Bulma greeted them with a bright smile. "How'd you do?" Goku raised her eyebrows in concern and looked at Vegeta, who was frowning and looking away from them.

"How did we do what?" Goku asked nervously. "We didn't do anything." Bulma cocked her head and scrutinized Goku.

"Why not? How are we going to make the wish if you two didn't get the Dragonballs?" Bulma asked disbelievingly. Goku widened her eyes in surprise.

"Oh!" She exclaimed with a relieved laugh. "Yeah, we got them all. They're right here." Goku said as she patted the bag over her shoulder.

"Good." Bulma said with a relieved sigh as she took the bag from Goku. "Don't get me worried like that, Goku." Bulma added, shaking her head as she checked the contents of the bag. She handed it off to Trunks, who readily accepted it. "Here, Trunks. Put them with the others." She said as her serious expression turned into an excited smile. "And let's all get dressed for the party!" Bulma said with an excited leap as she headed towards the stairs.

"Goten." Goku said, turning towards her son. "Let's go home and get ready." She said as Goten nodded and jumped by her side. "Vegeta." Goku said in a more serious tone, noticing Vegeta had not said a word since they arrived. Vegeta kept his back to her and didn't respond. Goku reached her hand towards him and opened her mouth to speak, but when she saw the concerned expression on Goten's face, decided to leave it alone for now. She pulled her hand back, reaching it to Goten as she lightly ruffled his hair. "Let's go." She said to him with a small smile as she closed her eyes in concentration and instantaneously moved them home.

Vegeta glanced over his shoulder after sensing their energies gone. He sighed heavily as he headed towards the stairs, placing his hand on the railing and pausing there with a thoughtful frown. He didn't know why that idiot was worrying about him. They both enjoyed what they did, and they both understood that it couldn't last. There was nothing to worry about with her turning back to normal. What _was_ bothering Vegeta was right up those stairs. Maybe the idiot already knew that.

He turned his thoughtful gaze towards his bedroom upstairs as he thought of her. Earthlings seemed to be so sensitive about these types of things. Though Bulma _was_ very progressive. Would it really hurt her if she knew? Not that she ever would. Vegeta would make sure of it. Vegeta smiled to himself in satisfaction at that thought as he headed up the stairs to dress for the party.

* * *

The Capsule Corporation yard was lit with tiki torches, decorative string lights and a huge bonfire in the center of the party. The bonfire was surrounded by the seven Dragonballs, which were glowing with a pulsating light due to their proximity. Dragons and orange balls adorned the decorations in tribute to Shenron and the Dragonballs. Everyone was waiting for the main event, but first, there would be food. And plenty of it. Buu started the line, followed by Mister Satan and Videl and Gohan, though a hungry Saiyan was pushing her way to the front.

"Hey!"

"Watch it!"

"Goku!" Goku chuckled guiltily as she slipped past her friends, grabbing food as she moved, filling her tremendous towering plate until she reached the end of the line and smiled widely at her plate in satisfaction.

"Sorry, sorry!" Goku said with a dismissive wave as she turned to face the line of trampled, fuming people glaring at her. She brought her plate to the table, sitting next to Chi-Chi, who was busy in a conversation with 18. Goku didn't waste any time digging into her plate while they were busy talking, though the noise of her eating quickly drew Chi-Chi's attention.

"Goku." Chi-Chi said as she glanced over her shoulder to see Goku eating next to her. "You made your way through the line already?" She asked dubiously as she turned towards the buffet to see the slow-moving line of people gathering their plates. Goku nodded with a grunt of agreement as she continued eating. "Did you get me anything?" Chi-Chi asked hopefully as Goku swallowed her food and frowned at her.

"Here." Goku said as she randomly selected a few things and put them on an empty plate at the table, pushing it in front of Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi frowned at the unplanned offer.

"Thanks." She said as she narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

"You need to train your husband." 18 commented to Chi-Chi as she watched the interaction. Krillin approached the table, carrying Maron in one arm and balancing a full plate of food on the other.

"This is for you, dear." Krillin said as he carefully placed the food in front of 18 and shifted Maron on his hip. "Can you take her while I get my food now?" He asked 18 as he struggled to hold the squirming girl in his arms.

"I'm eating, Krillin." 18 said as she began digging into her food. "I can hold her when I'm done." Krillin frowned in disappointment.

"Okay. Let me know when you're ready. I'll just wait to eat." Krillin conceded as 18 smiled at him and blew him a kiss. Krillin walked away smiling and 18 turned to Chi-Chi with a smug expression.

"See?" She said pointedly as she took a bite of her food. Chi-Chi nodded, looking very impressed as Goku remained oblivious to the situation. "Krillin! I can take Maron!" 18 called when Krillin was only a few steps away. Krillin startled and turn to 18 with a concerned expression.

"But you're not finished." He said as Maron playfully tugged on his short black hair and he winced each time she tugged.

"Just go get your food." 18 demanded as she extended her arms to accept Maron, who readily went to her mother with a hug.

"Alright! Be right back!" Krillin said with a big smile as he skipped to the buffet table.

"He's like a dog. You've really got him trained." Chi-Chi commented with an impressed frown as she began cutting into her food.

"You can do that with Goku." 18 said as she leaned forward to watch Goku eating, crumbs flying from her face and her cheeks stuffed as she seemed to be blissfully unaware of her surroundings. "But you really have your work cut out for you. Maybe you should start by making her a man first." Chi-Chi smiled brightly at that idea as Goten and the Ox King joined the table together, laughing loudly and playfully.

"Oh, Goku! I can't wait to have you back!" Chi-Chi said as she suddenly grabbed Goku's arm, tightly wrapping herself around it as Goku jumped in surprise at the contact.

"Yeah, Chi-Chi." Goku said as she gently pushed Chi-Chi off of her arm, though Chi-Chi refused to let go.

"Dad! Are _you_ going to summon Shenron?" Goten asked excitedly.

"Me? I don't know. Maybe." Goku said with a shrug.

* * *

"Look at them. Eating and having a good time. How dare they take all the Dragonballs!" Pilaf growled irritably as he pulled himself back behind the wall he had been peeking from behind. He leaned himself against the wall, sliding to a sitting position and looking at Shu, who looked back at him with a nervous expression. Meanwhile, Mai sighed in relief as she began walking away from the bonfire with a covered platter, disguised in a waiter's uniform, until she bumped into something and looked down in confusion.

"Watcha got there?" An adorable voice asked as Mai sighted the blond head of the little girl addressing her.

"Uh-uh…nothin', kid." Mai responded warily as she stepped back and skirted around the girl.

"Is that dessert?" Maron asked as she turned to follow Mai at her heels.

"No!" Mai shouted with a growl as Maron frowned at the harsh address and began tearing. Mai grimaced and looked to where Pilaf and Shu were hiding, who were watching with urgent looks at the child. Maron was just about to cry out when Mai hurriedly searched through the pockets of the waiter's uniform with her free hand for something to soothe the girl with. She grabbed the only thing she found, handing it to Maron. "Here, take this!" Mai said through her teeth in the sweetest voice she could muster as Maron accepted the item with a confused expression before Mai hurriedly ran off.

"Wha-?" Maron asked, scratching her head as she looked at the small white paper stick with a perplexed expression.

"We've got them, Emperor Pilaf! We really have them!" Mai shouted as she rounded the corner and lifted the lid, revealing the seven glowing Dragonballs.

"They didn't even see us coming!" Pilaf yelled victoriously before suddenly becoming nervous. "Here! Put them in the bag and let's get out of here so we can make our wish!" Pilaf said hurriedly as he held an empty bag open and Mai tilted the tray, letting the Dragonballs roll into the bag. The group scurried off into the night just as Bulma was emerging from inside Capsule Corporation.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! Enjoying the party?" Bulma asked loudly as everyone turned to look at her with big smiles.

"Yeah!" the friendlier people in the group cheered as Goten, Trunks and Maron laughed loudly and their less sociable friends looked at Bulma with subdued smiles.

"Right!" Bulma cheered. "Are we ready for the main event?"

"Wait!" Piccolo yelled, wiping the smiles off everyone's faces with his alarmed tone. "The Dragonballs are gone!" Everyone gasped and looked towards the bonfire, finally realizing the balls had been taken.

"Ooh! That sneaky bastard Pilaf must've taken them somehow!" Bulma growled irately as she balled her fists by her sides.

"We need those Dragonballs! Goku needs to make her wish!" Chi-Chi cried desperately as she stepped forward and clasped her hands together.

"Oh, no." Mister Satan said somberly. "Without the Dragonballs, Goku can't turn back into a man." He frowned sympathetically at Goku, who was still staring in surprise over their disappearance. Majin Buu turned to Mister Satan, surprised by his comment.

"We'll just have to get the Dragonballs back before Shenron is summoned!" Gohan claimed, preparing to hurriedly take off. "Bulma, where's the Dragon Radar?" He asked as Bulma startled before hurriedly retreating into the house to retrieve it.

"Goku lady want to be man again?" Majin Buu asked Mister Satan curiously as he shoved a cupcake in his mouth. Goku stepped nearer, still dumbfounded over the disappearance of the Dragonballs, but drawn to the mention of her name.

"Y-yes, Buu." Mister Satan said, surprised at the question. Majin Buu wiped his hands together, brushing off the crumbs from the cupcake before turning to Goku with his hands on his hips.

"Buu can do that." Buu said as everyone close enough to hear dropped their jaws in shock.

"What!?" Everyone shouted at Buu.

"Y-you mean, this whole time…" Goku stuttered, trailing off as she pointed at Majin Buu with a shaky finger.

"…you could have turned Dad back to normal at any time?" Gohan gasped as Videl placed her hand on his arm with her mouth hanging open.

"Sure. Buu turn people into all kinds of things. Other person should be easy." Buu said indifferently as he shoved another cupcake in his mouth.

"Th-then why didn't you just tell us?" Krillin asked in disbelief.

"No one ask Buu. Buu thought lady Goku nice." Buu said with a shrug, licking the icing off his mouth. "So? Want Buu to do it?" He asked. Everyone looked around warily until Chi-Chi stepped forward with a skeptical expression.

"You do know what you're doing, right?" She asked as she narrowed her eyes at Buu. "I don't want you turning my husband into some half-lollipop man or something." Chi-Chi said warningly as she crossed her arms. Goku gasped at the suggestion and took a wary step away from Majin Buu as he nodded confidently.

"M-maybe we should think about this." Goku said with a nervous laugh.

"No way! You're going for it!" Chi-Chi said as she pushed Goku towards Buu.

"Okaayy." Buu said in a sing-song voice as he whipped his antenna forward and Goku grimaced nervously. A beam of light shot from Buu's antenna towards Goku, enveloping her in the light before it flashed brightly, resulting in a cloud of smoke. The cloud quickly dissipated, revealing the old Goku standing with a shocked expression.

"Goku!" Everyone yelled out happily upon seeing him again.


	34. Calling It Even

Goku's eyes shot open in shock as he patted himself down, looking at his body and recognizing his old self. He stretched his waistband forward and looked down into his pants, sighing in relief.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi yelled, running into his arms and knocking into him with a tight hug. Goku gently secured his arm around Chi-Chi, raising his brows and looking around curiously as everyone stared at him.

"Dad! You're really back to normal!" Gohan exclaimed, smiling widely and throwing his arm over Videl's shoulder as she leaned into him and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Yay!" Goten shouted as he flew into the air with his fists up high.

"Goku!" A hoarse voice called behind him, prompting Goku to turn around and see Piccolo with a smug smile. "Let me help you with that." Piccolo said pointedly as he nodded towards Goku's body. Goku looked down again and chuckled sheepishly as he recognized the torn and revealing state of the smaller clothing he had been wearing before turning back into a man. Chi-Chi stepped back as Piccolo extended his arm towards Goku, yelling as a flash of light emitted and surrounded Goku, outfitting him in his regular gi.

"Hey! Thanks, Piccolo!" Goku said, smiling at the sight of the new clothing.

"No problem, Goku." Piccolo said as he crossed his arms and stepped back.

"Oh, man!" Krillin said, running up to Goku and giving him a pat on the arm. "It is so good to see the old you again, Goku." Krillin sighed with relief.

"Hello! Aren't we all forgetting something?" Bulma asked irritably as she placed her hands on her hips and scowled at the group. Everyone turned to Bulma, and when there was no immediate response, she scowled in annoyance.

"Oh! Hey!" Yamcha exclaimed, his eyes widening in realization. "Pilaf still has the Dragonballs!" Everyone frowned warily before turning their eyes to the sky.

"Well, it's already after dark. He could have already summoned Shenron for all we know." Gohan said nervously.

"No. I have the Dragon Radar." Bulma said as she held it up. "And the Dragonballs are still together." She said as she looked at it. "We can still stop him before he makes a wish." Goku stepped up to Bulma, taking the radar from her and turning it off with a small smile.

"Let him make his wish." Goku said confidently as everyone gasped at him.

"Goku! Let him make his wish?!" Bulma asked in disbelief as she glared at Goku.

"I'm not worried about Emperor Pilaf." Goku explained nonchalantly. "I'm sure after all these years he can't really still want to rule the world. We've already made so many wishes. It's only fair he should finally get a chance." Goku said, smiling as Bulma fumed at him in disbelief.

"But Goku!" Yamcha interjected with a scowl. "What if Pilaf _does_ wish for world domination?" He added with worry as Puar flew by his side and nodded adamantly in agreement.

"Then we'll have an entertaining fight on our hands." A deep voice spoke coolly as Vegeta stepped forward with a smirk.

"That's right, Dad!" Trunks agreed with a determined smirk. "I'd fight them with you." Vegeta patted Trunks on the head before briefly meeting Goku's eyes. He turned around and walked off on his own as Goku's gaze followed his exit.

"Alright, then." Krillin said, sounding unsure. "Goku, want to join us for some games?" Krillin asked, quickly drawing Goku's attention away from Vegeta as he turned to smile at Krillin.

"Sure, Krillin." Goku said as he sat beside Krillin and Bulma led the group in a series of games while Vegeta isolated himself elsewhere.

* * *

After the games ended, the party had mostly wound down to drinking and gossip. Goku found it the opportune time to escape the group as he headed to the poolside, where Vegeta had been stoically gazing into the water alone for a while. Vegeta barely turned his head when Goku arrived next to him, giving a simple, silent acknowledgement before returning his gaze to the water. Goku felt awkward as he looked to Vegeta, then away again. Vegeta kept warily glancing over his shoulder at Goku as they stood in silence for a while.

"I do _not_ find you attractive like that." Vegeta finally said, breaking the silence. Goku laughed.

"Good." He sighed in relief as he placed his hands on his hips and gazed into the water in a more relaxed manner while Vegeta continued with the wary glances.

"Well?" Vegeta said irritably, surprising Goku.

"Well what?" Goku asked innocently.

"_I_ haven't changed." Vegeta said pointedly as he finally turned to face Goku, glaring warningly at him. Goku laughed and held his hands up defensively.

"I don't like you anymore either! Relax!" Vegeta narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Goku for a moment before nodding in agreement and relaxing a little. "I can't believe we really did that, though." Goku said, scrunching his face in a disconcerted expression at the memories. Vegeta chuckled without amusement.

"I'd like to forget it ever happened." Vegeta admitted with a groan.

"Yeah. I agree." Goku said resignedly. "So, training next week?" Goku asked after a long pause.

"What? No. We're done." Vegeta sneered disbelievingly as he looked at Goku.

"But Vegeta, if we stop meeting now, won't that look suspicious?" Goku asked, cocking his head with a dubious expression. Vegeta frowned deeply, but reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Oh, boys!" A voice called as a woman emerged from behind some bushes, walking tipsily as she approached the two Saiyans. Goku and Vegeta looked at her in surprise, and she smiled as they spotted her. "I've been looking for you two." She said with a sly smile as she held a glass of wine in one hand and placed the other hand on her hip.

"Bulma, what is it?" Vegeta asked carefully, raising an eyebrow at her unusual approach. Bulma smiled a toothy grin at Vegeta as she approached him, brushing her fingertip under his chin with a forceful flick towards herself as Vegeta's eyes widened at her and Goku frowned curiously. Bulma looked at Vegeta with a harsh glare as she took a step back from him.

"I know all about you two." She said as she narrowed her eyes and took a sip of her wine. Goku and Vegeta exchanged a worried glance before Vegeta glared back at Bulma.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Vegeta lied as Goku raised his eyebrows at Bulma and Vegeta with a shrug.

"I have no idea, either." He answered openly.

"Oh, come on! I'm a genius, and you two have been right under my nose ever since Goku was turned into a woman! You really think I wouldn't know?" Bulma asked exasperatedly as Vegeta frowned at her with a stony expression. "I have proof, so don't even try to deny it." Bulma said sternly as she tossed her wine glass aside and crossed her arms.

"That's impossible!" Vegeta spat as he maintained his glare and refused to flinch at the accusations.

"Oh? What's this?" Bulma asked as stepped behind Vegeta and lifted his shirt to reveal the scratch marks on his back, looking knowingly at Goku as he grimaced at the sight.

"What?" Vegeta asked hoarsely as he looked over his shoulder at Bulma.

"I saw it when you changed for the party. And then there's the strange way you two have been acting when you're together. And then there's the confession…" Bulma said with a smirk as she released Vegeta's shirt. Vegeta spun around to face her, then Goku who was frowning guiltily over the scratch marks.

"You idiot! You told her?!" Vegeta asked Goku furiously as he approached him and grabbed him by the lapel of his gi.

"_I _didn't." Goku said pointedly as he shifted his gaze to Bulma's victorious smirk.

"_You_ just did." Bulma said as she narrowed her eyes at Vegeta. Vegeta balked in disbelief as he released Goku and stepped back from both of them, looking at Bulma pleadingly. Bulma met his eyes and her gaze softened, her eyes watering over with tears as Vegeta frowned in defeat at the sight.

"No, don't cry!" Goku exclaimed as he cringed in discomfort when Bulma's tears began to slide down her cheeks. She wiped a tear aside and sniffled as she looked at Goku, who grit his teeth and grimaced helplessly at Bulma. "Bulma, please don't cry." Goku said as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and she began sobbing into his chest. Vegeta stared into the distance, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth as his insides wrenched from his guilt. "I'm sorry. I'll do whatever you want, just stop crying." Goku said as he looked at Vegeta for some help.

"Whatever I want?" Bulma asked in a level tone as she pulled her face away from Goku, her tears coming to a sudden halt as a clever smile graced her face. Goku and Vegeta looked at Bulma uneasily as she pulled away from Goku with a smile on her face and looked at both of them. "No one else has to know about this. It can be our little secret. But you two are going to have to make it up to me."

"Really?! You won't tell anyone?" Goku asked happily as he pulled Bulma back in for a small hug.

"How do you expect us to make it up to you, Bulma?" Vegeta asked suspiciously as he maintained a guarded distance from the other two. Bulma laughed proudly as she leaned her head against Goku and rubbed his chest.

"I suggest we even the score." She looked up at Goku, who smiled back at her amicably. "I've wondered for years what Goku is like in bed." Goku laughed and placed one hand behind his head, oblivious to Vegeta's furious growl.

"Bulma, you know what I'm like in bed! We just slept in the same bed a few months ago!" Goku said as he continued laughing.

"That's not what she means!" Vegeta growled through his teeth before turning to Bulma. "And how could you suggest that? Do you really think I would ever let that happen?!" Vegeta growled furiously at Bulma, who smirked arrogantly back at him.

"It's only fair. It's either that, or we could let everyone know that you slept with _Goku_." Bulma said with a wicked smile as Vegeta's eyes widened and he grimaced at that thought.

"No!" Goku exclaimed fearfully before turning to Vegeta. "Vegeta, let her sleep with me!"

"You idiot! Do you understand what she's asking of you?" Vegeta glared at Goku before turning to Bulma. "There has to be something else you want." He negotiated as Bulma tilted her head in consideration.

"Well, I guess another fitting punishment that I might enjoy would be…" Bulma smiled slyly as her eyes hurriedly darted from Vegeta to Goku, "…you two screw again and let me watch." Goku laughed again as Vegeta grimaced in disgust.

"Bulma, we can't do it again. We're both guys now." Goku said with a dismissive shake of his head.

"Oh, yes you can." Bulma replied with a giggle as Goku's eyes widened and he looked at Vegeta in alarm. Vegeta nodded as he grimaced and shuddered, turning away from Goku.

"You honestly would like to see _that_?" Vegeta asked skeptically as Bulma nodded with a lecherous smile. "Ugh! How did I marry such a vulgar woman?" Vegeta complained as Goku looked thoughtful.

"But where would you…?" Goku asked himself aloud as he scratched his head.

"Nevermind that!" Vegeta yelled irately at Goku. "It's never going to happen!"

"Good choice, Vegeta." Bulma said slyly. "Come on, Goku." She said as she looped her arm around Goku's, pulling the bewildered man with her towards the Capsule Corporation building as he stumbled forward to catch up.

"Kakarot!" Vegeta growled furiously as he balled his fists tightly, reluctantly keeping his feet planted to the ground.

"We're going to bed _now_?" Goku asked as he knit his eyebrows in confusion. He glanced over his shoulder towards Vegeta, who was angrily fuming with his aura radiating around him as he watched them walk away. "But it's still early!"

"Don't worry. We won't be sleeping." Bulma said as she slid her arm down and gave Goku's butt a squeeze. Goku squeaked and jumped in surprise, then his eyes widened in realization as he looked at Bulma, then warily back at Vegeta.

"But Bulma! Chi-Chi will kill me!" Goku exclaimed fearfully as Bulma laughed triumphantly.

* * *

"Emperor Pilaf." A young voice said in an annoyed tone as a black-haired girl sat on the ground, irritably tapping her fingers on her knee. "What happened?"

"What do you mean 'what happened'?" Pilaf sneered at her contemptuously. "You know exactly what happened. I just…changed my mind." He added as he scratched the back of his neck with a guilty expression.

"Youth? We finally gather the Dragonballs to have Shenron grant our wish after all these years, and you wish to have our _youth restored_?!" The young girl growled furiously at the stubby, shrugging young Emperor before her. A blur flashed in front of them, drawing their attention as they looked at the other figure with wide eyes.

"Shu seems happy with the wish." Pilaf grumbled with a haughty frown as Shu ran in front of them again, stopping with a giddy jump.

"We're young again! Isn't this great?!" Shu exclaimed, oblivious to Mai's misery as he smiled widely at Pilaf. "Thanks, Emperor Pilaf!" He exclaimed as he began running again.

"You're welcome, Shu. At least _some_ people are appreciative of the things I give them." Pilaf said as he glared over his shoulder at Mai, still sitting and sulking on the ground. "Of course, this _is_ younger than I was hoping for." He added with a thoughtful frown as he looked down at his little childish body and Mai nodded in agreement. "But no matter. We'll collect the Dragonballs again, and _then_ we can wish for world domination. We have plenty of time to do that now, don't we?" Pilaf added smugly as Mai sighed heavily and reluctantly stood up.

"Alright. But how are we going to make any money now?" Mai wondered as Pilaf gasped and frowned at the question. Mai slumped her shoulders in disappointment. "Great. Guess we'll be roughing it until the Dragonballs are active again. Another wonderfully executed plan, Emperor Pilaf." Mai sneered sarcastically as she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Pilaf threw a capsule to the ground as his aircraft popped out and the three climbed inside.

"Hey! Can anyone drive this thing?" Shu asked as Pilaf and Mai groaned in aggravation.

* * *

Goku rejoined the party looking disheveled as he took a seat at Piccolo's isolated table with a weary sigh. Piccolo raised his eyebrows at Goku, studying his appearance in amusement. "Party wearing you down, Goku?" Piccolo asked haughtily.

"Hm? Oh. I think I've had enough for tonight." Goku said as he relaxed in his chair and dropped his head back with a heavy sigh.

"Hn. I don't know what you did to Vegeta, but he seems very angry tonight." Piccolo remarked with a disinterested shrug as Goku chuckled guiltily.

"Yeah. That's Vegeta for you. He's always angry at me." Goku replied. Piccolo sipped his water as he leaned closer to Goku, tapping Goku's shoulder to gain his attention again.

"Are you ever going to tell me what Vegeta did to you?" Piccolo asked with a curious smirk as Goku sat up and raised his eyebrows in alarm at the question.

"What?" Goku asked guardedly as Piccolo's smirk deepened at his reaction.

"The night that Dr. Briefs' ki draining machine weakened you. I know he did something to piss you off." Piccolo reminded Goku with a nod and raise of his cup before he took another sip, glancing over the rim at Goku.

"Dr. Briefs?" Goku questioned with a deeply perplexed expression. "Those machines weren't made by Dr. Briefs."

"No?" Piccolo chuckled. "I just had a very interesting conversation with Dr. Briefs about that this evening. He admitted that Vegeta had him build those for him, only to destroy them both." Piccolo said as he crossed his arms with a smug smile. Goku's mouth dropped in shock.

"…Y-you mean…Vegeta…Vegeta…_planned_ that?!" Goku asked as he stood suddenly from his chair with his fists balled by his sides. "Vegeta!" Goku bellowed furiously as he powered up to Super Saiyan and looked around the party for any signs of Vegeta. A yellow aura glowed in the distance, and Goku rocketed towards it as Piccolo shook his head and rolled his eyes. Everyone else watched Goku power up and leave, shocked at his sudden fury.

"Whatever happened, it seems those two will never change." Piccolo grumbled to himself as he took another sip of his drink. As the party continued, while everyone else socialized and had fun, a heated battle occurred, lasting late into that evening.

* * *

Months later, on a beautiful, sunny day at the scenic Mt. Paozu, a man's desperate scream suddenly sounded, echoing throughout the region and disrupting the tranquility of nature. Something exited a small house, moving down the mountain like a flash of lightning. A woman speedily ran after the flash, brandishing a frying pan all the way down the mountain with a determined scowl.

"Gokuuuuuu!" The woman yelled furiously. "You better run! I'm going to kill you!"

* * *

A/N: That's the end! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and I especially want to say thank you to the guest reviewers I was not able to thank personally. This story was a lot of fun to write. I know I knocked it out really fast, but if you still have feedback I'd love to hear it.


	35. Alternate Ending

A/N: Due to several requests to continue this fic, I have decided to write this alternate ending in addition to the original. I still love the original ending as is, without adding anything to it. I intentionally left the happenings at the end up to the reader's imagination. Chi-Chi could have discovered Goku's affair with Vegeta, or with Bulma, or both. But I couldn't leave it where Chi-Chi was the only one getting a bad deal; she had to find out. I couldn't bring myself to add any more after that, so I decided in order to give the readers what they were looking for, I would offer this alternative. This ending is much different; I figured I would do this like they do in special features of movies. I know the original ending felt too open-ended to some of you, and you wanted more closure. So this ending has more closure. The unchanged portion is in Italics so you can skip to where it changes if you want. The emperor Pilaf section between the lines is also unchanged. But I hope this alternate ending satisfies everyone! This was a fun idea I had before writing the original ending anyways.

* * *

_Goku's eyes shot open in shock as he patted himself down, looking at his body and recognizing his old self. He stretched his waistband forward and looked down into his pants, sighing in relief._

_"Goku!" Chi-Chi yelled, running into his arms and knocking into him with a tight hug. Goku gently secured his arm around Chi-Chi, raising his brows and looking around curiously as everyone stared at him._

_"Dad! You're really back to normal!" Gohan exclaimed, smiling widely and throwing his arm over Videl's shoulder as she leaned into him and wrapped her arm around his waist._

_"Yay!" Goten shouted as he flew into the air with his fists up high._

_"Goku!" A hoarse voice called behind him, prompting Goku to turn around and see Piccolo with a smug smile. "Let me help you with that." Piccolo said pointedly as he nodded towards Goku's body. Goku looked down again and chuckled sheepishly as he recognized the torn and revealing state of the smaller clothing he had been wearing before turning back into a man. Chi-Chi stepped back as Piccolo extended his arm towards Goku, yelling as a flash of light emitted and surrounded Goku, outfitting him in his regular gi._

_"Hey! Thanks, Piccolo!" Goku said, smiling at the sight of the new clothing._

_"No problem, Goku." Piccolo said as he crossed his arms and stepped back._

_"Oh, man!" Krillin said, running up to Goku and giving him a pat on the arm. "It is so good to see the old you again, Goku." Krillin sighed with relief._

_"Hello! Aren't we all forgetting something?" Bulma asked irritably as she placed her hands on her hips and scowled at the group. Everyone turned to Bulma, and when there was no immediate response, she scowled in annoyance._

_"Oh! Hey!" Yamcha exclaimed, his eyes widening in realization. "Pilaf still has the Dragonballs!" Everyone frowned warily before turning their eyes to the sky._

_"Well, it's already after dark. He could have already summoned Shenron for all we know." Gohan said nervously._

_"No. I have the Dragon Radar." Bulma said as she held it up. "And the Dragonballs are still together." She said as she looked at it. "We can still stop him before he makes a wish." Goku stepped up to Bulma, taking the radar from her and turning it off with a small smile._

_"Let him make his wish." Goku said confidently as everyone gasped at him._

_"Goku! Let him make his wish?!" Bulma asked in disbelief as she glared at Goku._

_"I'm not worried about Emperor Pilaf." Goku explained nonchalantly. "I'm sure after all these years he can't really still want to rule the world. We've already made so many wishes. It's only fair he should finally get a chance." Goku said, smiling as Bulma fumed at him in disbelief._

_"But Goku!" Yamcha interjected with a scowl. "What if Pilaf does wish for world domination?" He added with worry as Puar flew by his side and nodded adamantly in agreement._

_"Then we'll have an entertaining fight on our hands." A deep voice spoke coolly as Vegeta stepped forward with a smirk._

_"That's right, Dad!" Trunks agreed with a determined smirk. "I'd fight them with you." Vegeta patted Trunks on the head before briefly meeting Goku's eyes. He turned around and walked off on his own as Goku's gaze followed his exit._

_"Alright, then." Krillin said, sounding unsure. "Goku, want to join us for some games?" Krillin asked, quickly drawing Goku's attention away from Vegeta as he turned to smile at Krillin._

_"Sure, Krillin." Goku said as he sat beside Krillin and Bulma led the group in a series of games while Vegeta isolated himself elsewhere._

* * *

_After the games ended, the party had mostly wound down to drinking and gossip. Goku found it the opportune time to escape the group as he headed to the poolside, where Vegeta had been stoically gazing into the water alone for a while. Vegeta barely turned his head when Goku arrived next to him, giving a simple, silent acknowledgement before returning his gaze to the water. Goku felt awkward as he looked to Vegeta, then away again. Vegeta kept warily glancing over his shoulder at Goku as they stood in silence for a while._

_"I do not find you attractive like that." Vegeta finally said, breaking the silence. Goku laughed._

_"Good." He sighed in relief as he placed his hands on his hips and gazed into the water in a more relaxed manner while Vegeta continued with the wary glances._

_"Well?" Vegeta said irritably, surprising Goku._

_"Well what?" Goku asked innocently._

_"I haven't changed." Vegeta said pointedly as he finally turned to face Goku, glaring warningly at him. Goku laughed and held his hands up defensively._

_"I don't like you anymore either! Relax!" Vegeta narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Goku for a moment before nodding in agreement and relaxing a little. "I can't believe we really did that, though." Goku said, scrunching his face in a disconcerted expression at the memories. Vegeta chuckled without amusement._

_"I'd like to forget it ever happened." Vegeta admitted with a groan._

_"Yeah. I agree." Goku said resignedly. "So, training next week?" Goku asked after a long pause._

_"What? No. We're done." Vegeta sneered disbelievingly as he looked at Goku._

_"But Vegeta, if we stop meeting now, won't that look suspicious?" Goku asked, cocking his head with a dubious expression. Vegeta frowned deeply, but reluctantly nodded in agreement._

"Fine. We'll keep meeting for training." Vegeta agreed regretfully. "But if you even think of touching me-" Vegeta growled threateningly, his volume increasing as he glared at Goku and Goku cut him off.

"We have to touch to spar, Vegeta." Goku argued with a dubious frown.

"You know what I mean!" Vegeta retorted angrily, as Goku raised his brows in surprise and then laughed with an understanding look.

"No. I won't touch you, Vegeta." Goku laughed as he gazed at the water, and his laughing grew louder as Vegeta looked at him suspiciously.

"What's so funny?" Vegeta asked abrasively as he crossed his arms.

"I was just thinking." Goku said as he placed a hand behind his head and smiled cheekily at Vegeta. "Wouldn't it be funny if next time _you_ were the girl?" Vegeta glared furiously at Goku, his cheeks heating as he turned red at the suggestion.

"Ugh!" He yelled with a grimace. "That will _never_ happen to me! And if it did, I wouldn't _ever_ let you..." Vegeta trailed off, shaking his head and shuddering in disgust before he could finish what he was going to say with the vivid images flashing through his mind.

"That's what I thought, too, Vegeta." Goku said smugly as he crossed his arms. "But _you've_ never been a woman." Vegeta frowned deeply at Goku.

"And I never will be, so drop it."

"Okay!" Goku said with a smile as he stretched his arms up high and then crossed them behind his head, walking back towards the party. Vegeta shook his head and sighed as he watched Goku walking away. Perhaps it was time he joined the rest as well.

* * *

"Emperor Pilaf." A young voice said in an annoyed tone as a black-haired girl sat on the ground, irritably tapping her fingers on her knee. "What happened?"

"What do you mean 'what happened'?" Pilaf sneered at her contemptuously. "You know exactly what happened. I just…changed my mind." He added as he scratched the back of his neck with a guilty expression.

"Youth? We finally gather the Dragonballs to have Shenron grant our wish after all these years, and you wish to have our _youth restored_?!" The young girl growled furiously at the stubby, shrugging young Emperor before her. A blur flashed in front of them, drawing their attention as they looked at the other figure with wide eyes.

"Shu seems happy with the wish." Pilaf grumbled with a haughty frown as Shu ran in front of them again, stopping with a giddy jump.

"We're young again! Isn't this great?!" Shu exclaimed, oblivious to Mai's misery as he smiled widely at Pilaf. "Thanks, Emperor Pilaf!" He exclaimed as he began running again.

"You're welcome, Shu. At least _some_ people are appreciative of the things I give them." Pilaf said as he glared over his shoulder at Mai, still sitting and sulking on the ground. "Of course, this _is_ younger than I was hoping for." He added with a thoughtful frown as he looked down at his little childish body and Mai nodded in agreement. "But no matter. We'll collect the Dragonballs again, and _then_ we can wish for world domination. We have plenty of time to do that now, don't we?" Pilaf added smugly as Mai sighed heavily and reluctantly stood up.

"Alright. But how are we going to make any money now?" Mai wondered as Pilaf gasped and frowned at the question. Mai slumped her shoulders in disappointment. "Great. Guess we'll be roughing it until the Dragonballs are active again. Another wonderfully executed plan, Emperor Pilaf." Mai sneered sarcastically as she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Pilaf threw a capsule to the ground as his aircraft popped out and the three climbed inside.

"Hey! Can anyone drive this thing?" Shu asked as Pilaf and Mai groaned in aggravation.

* * *

Goku rejoined the party, smiling brightly as he sat at a table with Piccolo, Gohan, Videl and Bulma. Chi-Chi quickly brought him another heaping plate of food, assuming the change back to a male must have made Goku hungry for more food. Bulma was frowning thoughtfully as Gohan and Videl smiled at Goku's return to the group, and Goku looked at Bulma with wide eyes, clueless as to why she wasn't being her normal, partying self.

"Waas wong, Boma?" Goku asked through his bulging cheeks full of Chi-Chi's food he was already feasting on. Bulma slowly startled from her thoughtful gaze, looking at Goku with a perplexed expression as she attempted to decipher his speech. She smiled and shook her head in disagreement once she realized what he'd asked her.

"I was just thinking about something, that's all." Bulma explained with a friendly smile as Videl and Gohan looked at Bulma with slight concern.

"Are you worried about Emperor Pilaf's wish?" Gohan asked seriously as he rubbed Videl's back, and Videl looked back at Gohan with wide, worried eyes at the suggestion.

"No." Bulma answered with a carefree laugh as she smiled at Goku, who was downing a jug of liquid to wash down the huge meal he'd just imbibed. "I'm sure Vegeta's right about that. Pilaf is nothing compared to you guys." Bulma said confidently. She turned her head to look at Vegeta, who was just approaching the group, and frowned thoughtfully before muttering under her breath. "There are just other things Vegeta better have some explanation for." Piccolo raised a brow at Bulma's muttering, his keen Namekian hearing picking up the remark the others had missed. He turned his attention to Goku with a sly smile as Goku obliviously patted his full belly in contentment.

"Are you ever going to tell us what Vegeta did to you?" Piccolo asked with a curious smirk as Goku sat up and raised his eyebrows in alarm at the question.

"W-what?" Goku asked guardedly as Piccolo's smirk deepened at his reaction, while the others looked on at the conversation curiously.

"The night that Dr. Briefs' ki draining machine weakened you. I know he did something to piss you off." Piccolo reminded Goku with a nod and raise of his cup before he took a sip of water, glancing over the rim at Goku.

"Dr. Briefs?" Goku questioned with a deeply perplexed expression. "Those machines weren't made by Dr. Briefs."

"I knew it!" Bulma yelled, her eyes widening in realization at Piccolo's implication as she stood from her chair indignantly. Vegeta reached the table, cocking his head curiously at Bulma's sudden outburst as she turned to him with a challenging glare. Piccolo chuckled, knowing Vegeta was in for it now.

"I just had a very interesting conversation with Dr. Briefs about that this evening." Piccolo told everyone as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair with a smug expression. "He admitted that Vegeta had him build those for him, only to destroy them both." Goku's mouth dropped in shock as he and everyone else turned their gaze on Vegeta.

"So just what were you up to, Vegeta?" Bulma yelled haughtily with her hands on her hips as Vegeta frowned in irritation at all the disbelieving glares cast his way. "What _did_ you do to Goku?" She asked as she looked at Goku and opened her mouth to say more, but stopped in shock when Goku suddenly stood from his seat, glaring daggers at Vegeta.

"Vegeta!" Goku bellowed furiously as everyone at the table backed away, warily glancing from Goku to Vegeta. Vegeta smirked at Goku in return, everyone else's eyes widening at the display.

"Dad? Wh-what's going on here?" Gohan asked incredulously as he stared at his uncharacteristically angry father in disbelief.

"It's okay, son." Goku said, his fiery gaze suddenly altering into his trademark smile as he turned to face Gohan. "I think I'll let Bulma handle this." He decided as he glared at Vegeta, who grimaced at the thought before turning his attention to Bulma. Goku tapped Bulma on the shoulder and whispered into her ear as she raised an eyebrow at Vegeta.

"Bulma?" Vegeta asked guardedly as he narrowed his eyes perceptively at the now glaring woman. Piccolo listened in, his eyes widening in shock as he listened. Bulma gasped and left her mouth agape as she quickly looked at Goku, then back at Vegeta with anger.

"Vegeta..." Bulma growled furiously as she clenched her fists and marched right up to the surprised prince. Vegeta took a few wary steps back, looking at Goku curiously. Goku laughed with a satisfied smirk at Vegeta before smiling at the onlookers and turning around.

"Come on, guys! No need to get in the middle of _that_!" Goku said with another carefree laugh as he threw an arm over Chi-Chi's shoulder and waved for Videl, Gohan and Piccolo to go with him. Videl and Gohan shrugged at one another before taking one last look at the tantrum Bulma was having at Vegeta's expense as he glared back at her but kept his mouth shut. They dubiously followed Goku and Chi-Chi as Piccolo crossed his arms and watched the others leave. Piccolo smirked when Goku took one last inconspicuous glance towards the marital fight, smiling smugly.

"Whatever happened, it seems Vegeta and Goku are back to normal." Piccolo grumbled to himself as he crossed his arms before taking off into the sky. The Sons flew home happily to finally return to their normal, peaceful lives as the party continued. While everyone else obliviously socialized and had fun, a loud, heated battle ended with an abrupt slap. Bulma returned to the party with haughty satisfaction, while Vegeta grumbled to himself, making a resentful mental note to repay Goku with as much trouble as Goku caused him if he ever did, indeed, become a woman.


End file.
